Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins
by pokeball645
Summary: Join a young Pokemon Trainer/Martial Artist named Dark as he, Ash, Iris, and Cilan journey through the Unova Region. AU of my story series, requested by Bigpokemonfan.
1. Explanation

Greetings faithful readers, pokeball645 here with a surprise. I am making a new version of Dark's journey through the Unova Region, this time with Ash, Iris, and Cilan by his side.

Now before we begin, let me say a little something, there's gonna be a few changes from my original story.

First off, Dark's mom, Mitsumi, dies before Dark and Panpour leave for their journey, still because of Dark when he was a Great Ape.

Some of the Pokemon in Dark's team will change except for Panpour and Zekrom.

The big battle between Dark and Ghetsis will still happen, but it will happen at the White Ruins instead of N's Castle.

Dark never met any other human except for his mom and Professor Juniper, so Bianca and Cheren don't know about him.

And finally, the disclaimer. Pokemon is owned by Nintendo and the Pokemon Company. Dragon Ball is owned by Akira Toriyama, Funimation, and Toei Animation. I don't own anything except for Dark

And now, I give you Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins! (Requested by Bigpokemonfan)

Enjoy and feel free to review.


	2. In the Shadow of Zekrom

In the far off region of Unova, a female Martial artist named Mitsumi, and a Pokemon professor name Professor Juniper discovered a little boy deep in the woods near Nuvema Town. Mitsumi took it upon herself to raise the boy as her own son, teaching him what she learned about Martial Arts from her old teacher, Master Roshi, the Turtle Hermit. Now the boy known as Dark is on his own, still keeping his family tradition of Martial Arts by training himself. Staying by the young man's side is a Pokemon named Panpour, a Water-Type Pokemon that Mitsumi gave Dark for his fifth birthday, and the two of them developed a strong bond over the years. So far, the only human that Dark normally sees now and then anymore is Professor Juniper, who would normally check up on the young man and his Pokemon to see how they were doing, sometimes she might bring food for them, or come for a friendly chat. However, today is different from any other day for Dark, one that could very well be the first step for big adventures that awaited his arrival.

In the Shadow of Zekrom

In the Nuvema forest, the Patrat were enjoying the cool breeze on tree branches, the Deerling were having a little drink from a nearby lake with some Swanna in it, flocks of Pidove flew by in the sky, and someone was humming while carrying some wood over his head.

It was a young man by the age of ten, looked like he worked out some times, had black eyes, messy and spiky black hair swaying to the right, the only form of clothing he was wearing was a pair of white shorts, he also had a mark on his chest that resembles a red dragon, and there was a monkey tail waving behind his lower back.

The boy saw some Patrat happily waving to him and he said to them, "Hi, sure is a lovely day isn't it? I'll play with you guys some other time, right now I should get these back home and I'll bring Panpour along."

Soon after his little talk, he continued on his way to his home, and as he was walking, he saw the many Deerling passing by as well as the Pidove flocks flying above then he gave off a silly smile as he continued on his way.

* * *

Soon, the boy made it back to his house which was a small little hut, big enough for one person and a couple of small Pokemon as he placed the pile of wood down and then he called out, "Panpour, I'm home!"

Right after he called out, someone exited the house, it was a Pokemon that looks like some sort of monkey with cream colored fur, with his head, neck, and the tip of his tail blue, and his eyes looked like they were closed when they really are open.

"(Hey Dark, looks like we've got enough firewood to last us for a couple of days.)" the Pokemon said in his own language while smiling at the boy now known as Dark.

"Thanks, I guess it's time for some exercise." Dark said turning to a nearby boulder, then he got into a fighting stance before he ran to the boulder and grabbed it with his bare hands, then he grunted as he tried to lift the boulder as some of the local forest Pokemon came by to look at Dark who slowly began to lift the boulder from the ground as he lift it up even higher, then he grunted some more before he used his strength to crush the boulder into many smaller rocks, surprising some of the Pokemon, but the Pokemon known as Panpour just smiled and nodded his head slowly.

Dark spun his arms a little before he wiped some sweat off his forehead before he turned to Panpour and asked, "Hey Panpour, how did I do?"

"(Well let's see, that's the forth boulder this week, looks like a new record to me buddy.)" Panpour said with a thumbs-up.

"Alright. I'm getting hungry, shouldn't Professor Juniper be here by now?" Dark asked while looking around for someone.

"(Well, she normally comes by at this hour, but I haven't seen her since yesterday.)" Panpour shrugged then Dark looked like he got an idea.

"Hey I know, instead of waiting for Professor Juniper to come to us, we should surprise her by going to her place instead. I'm sure she'd love to have us over for a meal." Dark said happily.

"(It'd be a nice change of pace, I guess.)" Panpour shrugged.

"Alright, then it's settled, let's go to Professor Juniper's house." Dark said as he ran in his house to grab Panpour's Pokeball, which was like a regular Pokeball only with a blue symbol on the top that resembles water as he put it in his pocket and then he happily began to walk away to see Professor Juniper.

"(Yeah, nothing's gonna stop us... Except, that we have no idea where we're going.)" Panpour said making Dark stop.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find her house soon enough." Dark said until he and Panpour heard something up in a tree.

"(Hey fellas, up here!)" Dark and Panpour looked up at a nearby tree to see some Patrat happily waving to them and offering some apples to the duo.

"Then again, we could see Professor Juniper for some lunch after we have a little snack with the Patrat." Dark said to Panpour.

"(Snack works.)" Panpour agreed before he and Dark ran over to the tree and jumped up to the branch to enjoy some apples with their Patrat friends.

* * *

After munching on some apples with their Patrat friends, Dark and Panpour decided to relax with the Patrat on the tree branch they were sitting on.

"(Ah, sitting underneath the shade of a tree, watching the many clouds go by in the sky, and feeling the cool breeze in your fur. I'm telling ya, this is the life.)" Panpour said with a relaxing sigh.

"(Tell me about it.)" one Patrat agreed like the others did as they sighed as well, until everyone heard the sound of booming thunder, causing some of the Pokemon to run away in fear.

"(Don't just stand there you two, run!)" a female Patrat yelled before she ran away as well while Dark and Panpour stayed on the branch they were on before they looked at each other and nodded their heads before they climbed up to the top of the tree.

When they got to the top, they saw a big dark thunder cloud with blue lightning dancing around with a big lightning bolt coming from the center.

"(I'm not a weather expert, but I think that means that some storm's coming our way, let's go Dark. Uh, Dark, old buddy old pal?)" Panpour asked in confusion as he saw that Dark was just looking at the thunder cloud like he was in some sort of trance, then for some reason, the light at the center of the cloud got bigger until the entire cloud disappeared, but Dark was still staring at the spot where the cloud use to be.

"(Hey Dark, are you in there?)" Panpour asked while waving his paw in front of Dark's face, snapping him out of the mysterious trance he was in.

"Hey Panpour, what's wrong?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail.

"(I'm the one who should be asking you that question, you were just staring at that cloud and didn't even move a single muscle, and I was getting worried.)" Panpour said placing his hands on his hips.

"Sorry about that. I don't know why, but I think that some sort of Pokemon was in the center of that cloud." Dark said looking at the spot he last saw the big cloud again.

"(I guess you're more hungry than I thought Dark, all I saw in that cloud were a bunch of lightning bolts. Come on, let's ask someone for directions on how to get to Professor Juniper's house.)" Panpour said.

"How about them?" Dark asked as he and Panpour saw a flock of Pidove flying above them.

"Excuse me, do any of you know where I can find the home of someone named Professor Juniper?" Dark called out as one Pidove stopped to look at the duo.

"(Professor Juniper? Yeah, I know one of the many places you can normally find her. Follow me, I'll take you two there.)" Pidove said before flying to where Professor Juniper lives.

"Come on Panpour, let's go!" Dark yelled happily.

"(I'm right behind ya!)" Panpour yelled happily before they began to follow Pidove by jumping from tree to tree, using their tails to swing from branch to branch as they laughed happily.

* * *

Soon, Dark and Panpour, as well as the Pidove guiding them, have reached a building that looks wider than Dark's home as well as a little taller.

"(Well, this is the place where you can normally find Professor Juniper.)" Pidove said pointing his wing at the building as Dark and Panpour looked at it in awe.

"Wow, it's huge." Dark whispered in awe as Panpour nodded in agreement.

"(It's something alright. Okay, you two are on your own, I've gotta get back to my flock before they worry about me. Good luck you two.)" Pidove said before he flew away to find his flock.

"Thanks again!" Dark called out as he and Panpour waved goodbye to Pidove.

"(That was nice of him to show us where to find Professor Juniper, come on let's go inside.)" Panpour said before Dark spotted something in front of the building.

"Hey Panpour, look." Dark said pointing at the thing he saw as Panpour looked to see that it was a boy with dirty blond hair and pale grey eyes taking pictures of the building with his camera before he went inside.

"(That's odd, what's that boy doing here?)" Panpour asked in confusion.

"Maybe Professor Juniper was expecting someone, come on, let's check it out." Dark said as he and Panpour ran over to the front glass door as they looked through the door to find the guy they saw before taking pictures of the inside of the building.

"I wonder what he's doing with that strange thing in his hands?" Dark asked in confusion.

"(It's called a camera silly, they're used to take pictures of things, you know like a piece of memory you can keep with you.)" Panpour explained stepping up a little further causing the doors to open by themselves, startling Dark and Panpour as the boy heard them and turned around.

"What just happened to the doors? They just opened by themselves." Dark wondered stepping closer and placing his foot out in front causing the doors to open.

"They're called automatic doors, they open automatically whenever someone gets close to the Professor's lab." the boy explained as Dark and Panpour turned their attention to him.

"Well, aren't you gonna come in?" the boy asked sounding a little impatient as Dark and Panpour entered the building and looked around while the other guy continued to take pictures of the place with his camera.

"This is a nice house." Dark said still looking around with a silly smile as the other guy stopped and looked at Dark.

"This isn't a house, it's a Pokemon Research lab. This is where Professor Juniper does research on Pokemon you find in the Unova Region. But more than that, this is where you go to get your first Pokemon from Professor Juniper to start a Pokemon Journey." the guy explained while Dark and Panpour got confused.

"Do other people do that too?" Dark asked.

"If you want to journey through the Unova Region, yes. Tell me, what are you doing here?" the guy asked.

"I'm just here to pay Professor Juniper a visit." Dark said happily.

"You mean you're not here to pick out your first Pokemon?" the guy asked in confusion.

"Nope, I already have a Pokemon with me. My mom gave me a Pokemon for my fifth birthday." Dark said as Panpour climbed up to his left shoulder.

"(That's me.)" Panpour waved but the guy just took a couple of pictures of Dark and Panpour who were as confused as can be before all three of them heard something and they turned to see a lady wearing a lab coat, a man in another lab coat pushing a cart, and a guy wearing a hat with black hair, brown eyes, and two sideways z marks on his face walking up to them.

"Hello Trip, welcome. And Dark, this is a pleasant surprise." the woman said surprised to see Dark and Panpour who walked up to the woman with the guy now known as Trip.

"Hi Professor Juniper, I'm finally ready to set off on my journey as a Pokemon Trainer." Trip said to the Pokemon Professor.

"I know you've waited a long time for this Trip, welcome to the world of Pokemon." Professor Juniper said with a smile as the guy with the hat stepped up.

"So, I bet you were so excited about it last night that you couldn't sleep a wink. I was the exact same way." the guy in the hat said as Trip and Dark turned to him.

"Who are you?" Trip asked.

"(Maybe he's a visitor, like us.)" Panpour guessed while climbing off Dark's shoulder as Dark walked over to look at the guy in the hat closer.

"Trip, Dark, meet Ash, he came from all the way from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region." Professor Juniper introduced the guy now known as Ash while Dark still studied him closely.

"Nice to meet you two. But, who's Trip and who's Dark?" Ash asked sweat dropping at Dark's inspection.

"Oh, I'm Dark, that guy must be Trip." Dark said pointing at himself and then at Trip.

"From Pallet Town, Kanto region?" Trip asked sounding a little surprised until he laughed a little confusing Dark, Panpour, and Ash.

"What's so funny?" Ash asked.

"(That's what I'd like to know.)" Panpour said with his arms crossed.

"See, I was just thinking that a guy like you came from the boonies." Trip said.

"Hey, what do you mean boonies!?" Ash asked sounding offended.

"Boonies? I thought he was from a place called Pallet Town." Dark said in confusion before he continued his inspection on Ash until he got behind Ash and then lifted up his shirt until Ash quickly pulled it back down while he turned around to look at Dark.

"Hey, don't do that! What do you think you're doing anyway!?" Ash asked sounding more than a little mad at Dark.

"I was just checking to see if you had a tail, I didn't see one though." Dark said as Ash, Professor Juniper, her assistant, and Trip looked at Dark like he had something on his face.

"Don't worry, maybe it takes people from Pallet Town longer to grow their tails." Dark said innocently.

"Uh, yeah, I'm sure it'll sprout out soon." Ash said before he chuckled nervously while sweat dropping.

"What an oddball." Trip thought.

"Come on Trip, today's your first day as a trainer, so it's a happy day." Professor Juniper said getting things back on track as she walked over to the cart that had three Pokeballs on it while Panpour walked over to stand next to Dark.

"Now, you can choose your partner from among these three types. First is Tepig, a Fire-Type." Professor Juniper said before she threw one of the Pokeballs into the air as it opened and out came a Pokemon that looked like a little pig as Ash and Dark looked at Tepig, Ash had to kneel down because he was taller than Dark.

"Wow, awesome, so you're called a Tepig." Ash said happy to see the Pig Pokemon.

"Cool, I've never seen a Pokemon like that before." Dark said before Tepig ran away and then blew some flames out of his snout.

"That's a Fire-Type alright, nice and fiery." Ash said as Dark just smiled at Tepig.

"Up next, here's Oshawott, a Water-Type!" Professor Juniper said before she threw another Pokeball into the air and released a Pokemon that looks like an otter with a shell called a scalchop on his belly as he made a cute face.

"Aw, aren't you the cutest?" Ash asked Oshawott who smiled at the comment.

"(It's nice to see another Water-Type like myself.)" Panpour said to himself while looking at Oshawott.

"Finally, Snivy, a Grass-Type!" Professor threw the third Pokeball and released a Pokemon that looks like little green snake who put his hands on his hips.

"Cool, this one's got plenty of confidence." Ash commented as Tepig ran over to stand between Snivy and Oshawott in front of Trip.

"Each one of them would be great to train, this is gonna be one tough choice." Ash said while looking at Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott.

"Don't forget, I'm the one who gets to choose." Trip reminded Ash and Dark.

"Don't worry, we know that. Then Dark can choose when you're done." Ash said.

"Actually, I'm just here to visit Professor Juniper. Besides I already have a Pokemon with me. See?" Dark said while pointing at Panpour.

"Wow, I've never seen a Pokemon like that before. Who's that Pokemon?" Ash asked.

"This is Panpour, my mom gave him to me for my fifth birthday, he's my best friend." Dark said as Panpour waved at Ash who turned his attention back to the other three Pokemon while Trip was making his choice.

"As for those three, if it were up to me... Well, that'd be a tough choice." Ash said while crossing his arms in a thinking pose while Trip took out his camera and took yet another picture before he looked at Professor Juniper.

"I've decided, I'm choosing Snivy." Trip said as Snivy looked happy with the choice, Tepig looked mad, and Oshawott was shocked and fell over as Dark walked over to Tepig and Oshawott.

"Cheer up you two, I'm someone will come along later and pick either one of you as their friend soon, don't give up hope." Dark assured as Tepig smiled and wagged his tail as he walked over to Dark and rubbed his head against Dark's leg as he rubbed Tepig's back while Oshawott looked at Ash as Professor Juniper grabbed another device from the cart and turned to Trip.

"Okay, first off, here's your very own Pokedex." Professor Juniper said handing the device over to Trip.

"Thanks professor." Trip said.

"Uh, what's a Pokedex?" Dark asked in confusion.

"What do you mean 'what's a Pokedex'? It's a device that can record the data of any Pokemon in the world." Ash explained.

"It's like a Pokemon encyclopedia you can easily carry around." Professor Juniper added.

"Uh, what's an encyclo-thingy?" Dark asked making the others, except for the Pokemon, fall over.

"Maybe it'd be better to give you a demonstration, pay attention." Trip said as he used the Pokedex to find out more on his new partner, Snivy.

"Snivy, the Grass Snake Pokemon. Cool, calm, and collected, Snivy uses photosynthesis to collect energy with the leaf on its tail." the Pokedex explained.

"Now do you understand how the Pokedex works?" Trip asked Dark who nodded his head.

"Good, now to find out about that Panpour with you." Trip said before he pointed his Pokedex at Panpour.

"Panpour, the Spray Pokemon. It does not thrive in dry environments. It keeps itself damp by shooting water stored in its head tuft from its tail. The water stored inside the tuft on its head is full of nutrients. Plants that receive its water grow large." the Pokedex explained before Trip put it away.

"(Really, that's what happens when I give plants water? Hmm, no wonder those plants in our backyard grew large.)" Panpour said but of course no one heard him.

"And here are your Pokeballs, you can carry up to six Pokemon with these." Professor Juniper said handing Trip a container with five Pokeballs in it.

"Yeah, that's basic." Trip said taking the Pokeballs.

"And this is Snivy's Pokeball, take good care of it." Professor Juniper said giving Trip Snivy's Pokeball.

"Right." Trip said taking the Pokeball as he pushed the button in the middle to make it bigger before he pointed it at Snivy.

"Alright Snivy, so let's get this journey started." Trip said returning Snivy to his Pokeball.

"(I don't see how any Pokemon can enjoy going in those little things.)" Panpour said while shaking his head.

"Have a great journey, good luck." Professor Juniper said to Trip.

"Thanks, thanks for everything." Trip said before he walked out of the lab as Dark felt something on his leg as he looked down to see Tepig smiling at him while wagging his tail.

"Hey Tepig, you want me to rub you some more?" Dark asked with a smile as Tepig happily nodded and laid on his back so Dark can rub his belly which he did, causing them both to laugh happily.

"Well Dark, it seems to me that Tepig really likes you." Professor Juniper commented with a smile on her face.

"You're really good with Pokemon." Ash commented.

"Thanks, I've learned from the best. My mom told me to treat Pokemon with love and care." Dark said still rubbing Tepig's belly.

"Your mom sounds like a wise woman, you should introduce me to her." Ash said as Dark's smile faded in a second.

"I'm afraid I can't do that Ash. You see, she died a long time ago." Dark said as the others in the room felt sad and Ash felt guilty for bringing it up.

"Oh, sorry." Ash said patting Dark on the back, even Tepig and Oshawott felt sad for Dark.

"That's okay, I'm sure she's still watching over me, wherever she is." Dark said as Ash decided to head out of the lab.

"Hey Ash, where are you going? Wait up!" Dark said before he followed after Ash as Panpour climbed up Dark's shoulder.

* * *

Outside the lab, Ash, Dark, and Panpour spotted Trip walking away.

"Trip, wait up!" Ash yelled as Trip stopped to look at Ash, Dark, and Panpour who ran up to the new trainer.

"Hey Trip, what are you and Snivy gonna do now?" Dark asked sounding happy.

"Going for Gym battles?" Ash asked confusing Dark and Panpour.

"That's basic." Trip simply said.

"Uh, I'm confused. What are you two talking about?" Dark asked.

"It's simple and basic, Pokemon Trainers go around challenging different Gyms and try to win eight Gym badges, so they can enter the Unova League." Trip explained.

"Really? That's just like back at Kanto." Ash said with his smile still on his face but Dark and Panpour were even more confused, they were about to ask until...

"Pika pi!" they heard a Pokemon call out as they turned their attention to the lab entrance to see a Pokemon that looked like a yellow mouse with red cheeks and a lightning bolt shaped tail running towards Ash.

"Pikachu! All done with your tests huh?" Ash asked as Pikachu happily jumped up to Ash's shoulder.

"(Yep, all done.)" Pikachu said happily.

"Wow, I've never seen a Pokemon like that before." Dark said in awe.

"(Yeah, who is he?)" Panpour asked as Trip pulled his Pokedex out for more info.

"Pikachu, the Mouse Pokemon, and the evolved form of Pichu. Pikachu's tail is sometimes struck by lightning as it raises it to check its surroundings." the Pokedex explained before Trip put it away and began to take pictures of Pikachu.

"What are you doing?" Ash asked in confusion as Trip stopped taking pictures.

"This is why we don't like people from the boonies." Trip said.

"It is?" Dark asked in confusion but Trip just nodded his head at Dark before he turned his attention back to Ash.

"Listen up, a Pikachu in Unova is huge, it's a really big deal." Trip said.

"It's not a big deal, Pikachu's my #1 partner and buddy." Ash said.

"(You got that right.)" Pikachu agreed.

"Kinda reminds me of what we see in each other, doesn't it Panpour?" Dark asked his Pokemon.

"(It sure does buddy, it sure does.)" Panpour said while ruffling Dark's hair a little.

"Is it strong?" Trip asked Ash with a smirk.

"Oh you bet." Ash said.

"(I'm strong alright.)" Pikachu said with confidence.

"You want to see?" Ash asked.

"Sure I do." Trip said.

"How are you gonna do that?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Simple, we have a Pokemon battle, that's how." Trip said.

"Uh... What's a Pokemon battle?" Dark asked in confusion shocking Ash, Pikachu, and Trip.

"Dark, a Pokemon battle is one of the most fun things people can do with their Pokemon. They challenge other trainers to Pokemon battles where you have your Pokemon battle for your side, while you give them a command to attack or to defend. A Pokemon battle is over when your team of Pokemon are unable to battle. Do you understand a Pokemon battle now?" Ash explained but Dark and Panpour just blinked showing that they didn't get it at all as Trip slapped his forehead.

"Look, I don't have time to give a Pokemon history lesson. Just follow us and pay close attention." Trip said walking away as Ash and Dark followed with Pikachu and Panpour.

"Man Dark, didn't you and Panpour have any battles in the past?" Ash asked.

"Sure, Panpour helps me out with my Martial Arts skills sometimes." Dark said happily surprising Ash, Pikachu, and Trip.

"I see, you're a Martial Artist." Trip guessed as Dark happily nodded his head.

"(That would explain those muscles on his body.)" Pikachu said silently.

"(You should see him lift a boulder.)" Panpour said making Pikachu look at him like he was crazy.

* * *

Soon the three boys made it to a battlefield, with Ash and Trip on opposite sides of the field and Dark on the sidelines to watch the battle that is about to unfold.

"Remember to pay close attention." Trip advised Dark who happily nodded his head.

"Snivy, go get'em now!" Trip yelled as he released his new Snivy out of his Pokeball and on to the battlefield.

"Pikachu, let's do it!" Ash said in excitement.

"(Right!)" Pikachu said getting pumped up until Trip took more pictures.

"(How much film does that camera have?)" Panpour asked starting to get annoyed by the camera.

"Why are you always taking pictures?" Ash asked as Trip stopped.

"I'm recording my journey, and remember this is Snivy's first battle." Trip said as Panpour looked over to see Oshawott watching the battle from behind a tree.

"And this is our first battle in the Unova Region, so we'll go first! Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pikachu got ready and then he ran towards Snivy with great speed, hitting the Grass Snake Pokemon.

"How's that?" Ash asked as Snivy skidded on the floor a little, but he was ready for more.

"(Wow, that was so cool.)" Panpour said in awe.

"(You like it? Well there's more where that came from.)" Pikachu smirked.

"Snivy, Tackle!" Trip yelled as Snivy charged towards Pikachu head on.

"Pikachu, dodge it quick!" Ash yelled as Pikachu dodged Snivy's attacks.

"Good one Ash and Pikachu!" Dark cheered.

"Thanks Dark. Now, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu tried to perform the next attack but only some sparks escaped his red cheeks confusing and shocking Ash and Pikachu while Dark and Panpour were just confused as Snivy hit Pikachu with another Tackle.

"Alright Pikachu, Thunderbolt again!" Ash yelled as Pikachu tried to go for Thunderbolt again, but the results were the same as the last time as Pikachu started to pant.

"Hey, what's wrong Pikachu?" Ash asked sounding worried for Pikachu.

"You're really trying?" Trip asked with a 'not amused' look.

"Of course he's trying, I can tell. Hey Ash doesn't Pikachu know any other attacks?" Dark asked making Ash remember.

"Oh yeah, he does, thanks Dark. Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash yelled as Pikachu started to run, however nothing else happened as Pikachu slowed down.

"(Hmm, there might be a problem after all.)" Panpour said seeing that Pikachu stopped and panted.

"Okay, is this some kind of strategy? Calling moves it can't even do?" Trip asked making Ash mad.

"Okay, use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled as Pikachu got up and got his tail ready as it started to glow.

"Ah, so it's only Electric-Type moves." Ash said with happiness as Pikachu's tail looked like iron ready to attack Snivy with it.

"Dodge it!" Trip yelled as Snivy got out of the way before Pikachu could hit him with Iron Tail, shocking Ash, Dark, and Panpour as Pikachu and Snivy went back to their sides of the arena.

"Wow, so this is a Pokemon battle. I can't believe how much we're learning." Dark said with a smile.

"(Still, Pikachu can't use any Electric-Type moves for some reason, I just don't understand why.)" Panpour said while looking at Pikachu with a serious expression on his face.

"Snivy, use Leaf Tornado!" Trip yelled as Snivy began to turn himself upside down and spin around fast while a tornado of leaves began to form at his tail.

"What move is that?" Ash asked confused and worried about the move.

"I don't know, but it looks cool." Dark said.

"Don't know it, do you?" Trip asked as Ash growled.

"Go Snivy!" Trip yelled as Snivy moved his tail and the Leaf Tornado over to Pikachu.

"(Pikachu, look out!)" Panpour yelled but Pikachu got sucked into the Leaf Tornado before Snivy slammed it into the ground causing dirt and dust to fly around.

"Pikachu!" Ash and Dark called out while Panpour saw that Oshawott had his mouth open from where he was standing until he looked over to see Pikachu at the end of a rut.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled as he ran over to Pikachu while Dark and Panpour did the same.

"Do you think he's okay?" Dark asked sounding concerned as Ash picked up Pikachu in his arms.

"(Maybe this will wake him up.)" Panpour said before he fired some water from his mouth at Pikachu waking him up in no time but Ash just growled, knowing that something's wrong with his best friend.

"Our first win. I thought we synched it well for our first battle, I'm glad I chose you." Trip said before he returned Snivy to his Pokeball as Ash stood up.

"I think you'd do better starting over with the basics." Trip said to Ash who just ran to Professor Juniper's lab with Pikachu in his arms while Dark and Panpour followed him as Trip chuckled a little and then walked away to start his journey.

* * *

When Ash and Dark got to the lab, Professor Juniper began to check on Pikachu once again while Dark and Panpour were introduced to Professor Oak, the Pokemon Professor of the Kanto Region, and Delia, Ash's mom.

"Professor Juniper, looks like something's not right with Pikachu after all." Ash said getting very worried for Pikachu.

"It appears that Pikachu has suffered from an electrical overload of some kind." Professor Juniper said.

"Overload?" Ash and Dark repeated as Professor Juniper turned to them.

"All that electrical energy Pikachu absorbed from the thunderstorm was too much." Professor Juniper said as Professor Oak turned to face them next.

"Right, and that explains why Pikachu was unable to perform any Electric-Type moves." Professor Oak added.

"(Well that stinks. Sorry about that Pikachu.)" Panpour said.

"No way. Does that mean Pikachu can't use Electric-Type moves anymore?" Ash asked while looking at Pikachu as Dark suddenly walked over to look out the window, then the screen started to go fuzzy.

"Huh, what's going on?" Professor Oak asked as sparks started to escape Pikachu's cheeks again and then his tail as Dark looked carefully to see that the same thundercloud from before appeared above the Pokemon lab while the others looked at Pikachu.

"Pikachu." Ash said in concern.

"(You feeling okay?)" Panpour asked.

"Uh Professor Juniper, I think you might want to take a look." Dark said as Professor Juniper looked outside to see the cloud.

"Professor Oak, look, that cloud." Professor Juniper said as Professor Oak looked out the window as well.

"It's the same cloud as before!" Professor Oak exclaimed.

"(Hold on, you've seen that cloud before!?)" Panpour asked in shock before a bolt of lightning shot at part of the lab forcing the suction cups off of Pikachu's body and the lab lost power but Dark kept looking at the cloud.

"Reboot the system, quickly!" Professor Juniper told her assistant who nodded and forced the door to open as he head out of the room, unaware that Oshawott entered the room as Professor Juniper turned her attention back to the cloud outside.

"It couldn't be, could it?" Professor Juniper asked herself as almost everyone turned to her.

"Could the source of those clouds be Zekrom, the legendary Pokemon?" Professor Juniper asked.

"Zekrom?" Ash asked in confusion while Dark kept his focus on the light in the center of the clouds.

"Zekrom's quite a legend in these parts. From within those clouds, Zekrom watches over people and Pokemon, and it's lightning bolts are said to be judgments from up above and they're also the pillars that hold up the skies." Professor Juniper explained seriously as Dark focused hard until his vision caught sight of the shadow of a big Pokemon but he couldn't quite make it out yet.

"_Strong ideals._" Dark heard a faint sound say in his head, but before he could ask anything, he heard Pikachu cry out in pain as he turned around as did the others to see that Pikachu was unwillingly sending electricity in different directions.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried out.

"(Oh no!)" Panpour cried out as Dark turned his attention back to the clouds, remembering the faint voice he heard before.

* * *

A friendly visit for Dark and Panpour took a turn for the worse as Pikachu has been affected by a mysterious phenomenon. Can Pikachu regain his Electric-Type powers that Ash told Dark he has? Is there anything Dark and Panpour can do to help out their new friends? A dark cloud of confusion has suddenly fallen over Dark, Panpour, Ash, and Pikachu, what could happen to them next? Find out next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	3. Enter Iris and Axew

Last time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, Dark and Panpour arrived at Professor Juniper's lab, and not only did they see Professor Juniper herself, they also met Trip, a young man who just started his Pokemon journey, and Ash, who came all the way from Pallet Town. Soon Dark and Panpour watched a Pokemon battle between Ash and Trip, however, Ash's Pokemon partner, Pikachu was unable to use any Electric-Type moves during the battle, and lost to Trip and Snivy. Suddenly, while Pikachu was being examined in Professor Juniper's lab, a mysterious thunderstorm appeared, and then Pikachu began to send sparks everywhere making everyone look at the Mouse Pokemon, all except for Dark who kept his eyes on the cloud then he heard a mysterious and faint voice. What does all this mean?

Enter Iris and Axew

Pikachu was still sparking electricity.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled while crossing his arms in front of his face as Oshawott stayed where he was and was also concerned.

"(This is bad, shake it off Pikachu!)" Panpour yelled as the professors tried to type away but the machine started to send off sparks as well.

"The system, it's on overload, the lab could be destroyed!" Professor Juniper exclaimed.

"All because of that lightning? Could the legendary Pokemon of Unova be behind all this?" Professor Oak asked while looking at the clouds again as did Dark.

"_Strong will... Strong ideals._" Dark heard the faint voice from before again as Pikachu fell down on his belly.

"Pikachu, hang in there!" Ash yelled before he went over to grab Pikachu, only to yell out in pain when both Ash and Pikachu got shocked by the electricity.

"_We'll meet soon enough._" Dark heard the faint voice one last time before he looked out to see the clouds disappear from the sky, clearing it up once again as Ash fell on his back with his mom worried about him while Pikachu fell on his belly with Panpour jumping down to check on him while everything came back on in the lab.

"We're back online?" Professor Juniper asked in confusion.

"Ash dear, are you alright?" Ash's mom asked in concern as Oshawott stepped out to check on Ash as well who slowly stood up.

"I'm okay. Wait, Pikachu!" Ash said remembering his yellow buddy who stood up and made electricity spark from his tail.

"Pikachu, does that mean you're back to normal?" Ash asked sounding happy.

"(It sure does!)" Pikachu said feeling much better.

"Alright, now use Thunderbolt on me." Ash said as Pikachu fired a powerful Thunderbolt at Ash who grunted and took the hit.

"(Wow, now that's power.)" Panpour commented.

"Volt Tackle, go!" Ash yelled as Pikachu came at Ash with his body surrounded with electricity as he rammed Ash into the wall.

"Oh goodness." Ash's mom said.

"(I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that happens a lot.)" Panpour said while sweat dropping.

Ash shook his head and said while looking a bit dizzy, "You're really alright."

"(Yep.)" Pikachu said before Ash fell over.

"(I think you were a little too hard with that last attack.)" Panpour said before he saw that Dark was still looking out the window where the clouds use to be.

"Odd, who was that? Strong will and strong ideals, what does that mean?" Dark asked silently before he was shocked out of his thoughts by Pikachu as Dark stumbled back a little.

"(What did you do that for!?)" Panpour asked angrily as everyone saw Professor Juniper and Professor Oak exit the lab as Ash, Dark, and their Pokemon decided to follow them outside.

"You really think it was Zekrom's doing, the legendary Pokemon?" Professor Juniper asked while looking at the sky.

"I'd say this calls for some additional research." Professor Oak said with a smile while Ash and Dark looked at the setting sun.

"When it comes to Pokemon from the Unova Region, there's so much stuff I don't know. You know what I mean buddy?" Ash said looking at Pikachu.

"(I hear ya.)" Pikachu replied.

"(Unova's a pretty place, that much I can tell ya.)" Panpour said as Pikachu turned his attention to the Spray Pokemon.

"(Say, what were you and your friend doing here in the first place?)" Pikachu asked but his question was answered when they heard a loud growl from somewhere as Dark placed his hands on his stomach and slowly sat down on the ground.

"That's right, with all the stuff that happened earlier, I forgot that me and Panpour came over to have some food with Professor Juniper." Dark said sounding tired as Panpour followed his lead.

"Hungry? Well we can fix that for you." Professor Juniper giggled at the young man with a tail.

* * *

Later that night, Dark and Panpour ate at a table with Ash, Pikachu, Ash's mom, and Professor Oak, and the four of them were surprised to see Dark eating so much, and Panpour, he was use to it by now.

"Well you must have been very hungry young man." Professor Oak said with a friendly chuckle as Dark nodded and swallowed.

"Yep, if there's one I love just as much as Martial Arts and Pokemon, it's to eat." Dark said before he began to scarf down his food again.

"(Say, isn't he a little too young to learn Martial Arts?)" Pikachu asked Panpour.

"(That's what Professor Juniper asked Mitsumi before she died, but she saw that Dark had much potential, and she taught him what she learned from her old teacher, someone named Master Roshi.)" Panpour explained.

"(Who's Master Roshi?)" Pikachu asked in confusion.

"(Mitsumi said that he's some sort of Turtle Hermit, but I don't know, I've never met the guy before.)" Panpour shrugged as Ash turned his attention to his mom and Professor Oak.

"I've decided that my next journey would be here." Ash told them as Dark stopped eating to listen as well.

"For sure, I want to meet all the Pokemon from Unova, and I'll make a bunch of new friends too." Ash said.

"(Alright, new adventure.)" Pikachu said sounding excited.

"Of course. I knew it Ash, no one knows you better than me." Delia said with a smile.

"I presume you'll be visiting all the Pokemon Gyms?" Professor Oak asked.

"That's the plan. I'm gonna go meet and beat the Gym leaders, get eight badges, and then win the Unova League." Ash declared with a fist pump in the air.

"Well then, I'll continue to look after your Pokemon back in my lab, don't worry about a thing." Professor Oak said confusing Dark and Panpour.

"(Back in his lab? You mean Ash has other Pokemon besides you?)" Panpour asked as Pikachu laughed and placed an arm around Panpour's shoulders.

"(Oh Panpour, I have a lot to tell you.)" Pikachu said.

"Pikachu, take good care of Ash." Delia said.

"(Don't worry about a thing.)" Pikachu said happily.

"And call us from time to time, I'll look forward to hearing about all the new Pokemon you've met. How does that sound?" Professor Oak said.

"You got it." Ash said.

"(You got it.)" Pikachu repeated in his own language.

"Wait, what are you gonna do Dark?" Ash asked as Dark thought about it for a minute but then Professor Juniper came from behind.

"I've heard everything Ash, and I'll be happy to help, come see me after dinner and bring Dark with you." Professor Juniper said before walking away as Ash and Dark looked at each other in confusion.

* * *

After dinner, Ash, Dark, and their Pokemon met up with Professor Juniper who gave Ash a Pokedex and five Pokeballs.

"So here's your Pokedex and Pokeballs." Professor Juniper said handing them to Ash.

"Thanks professor." Ash said taking the things as Professor Juniper turned to Dark.

"So why did you want me to come see you?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Well you like Pokemon as much as you like Martial Arts and food, right?" Professor Juniper asked as Dark nodded his head with a smile.

"Then I think it's about time for you to meet other Pokemon outside of Nuvema Town, go out and see the world, find out what life has to offer you." Professor Juniper said with a smile.

"You mean you want me to go on a journey?" Dark asked as Professor Juniper happily nodded her head.

"I think that's a great idea, you get to meet new Pokemon and new people." Ash said patting Dark on the back.

"But I don't know anything about being a Pokemon Trainer." Dark said as Ash got another idea.

"Hey don't worry about that Dark, you can come with me, I'll be happy to teach you what I know about being a Pokemon Trainer." Ash said as Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Well mom always said that traveling is better with your friends by your side." Dark said as he began to think it over.

"Okay, I'll do it, I'll go with you Ash." Dark said with a silly smile on his face as Delia watched from a few feet away with a smile on her face.

"I know your mom would be proud of you if you went on a journey through the Unova Region." Professor Juniper said as Tepig ran over to stand next to Dark.

"Looks like Tepig wanted to wish you good luck." Ash said as Tepig shook his head before he rubbed it against Dark's leg.

Professor Juniper giggled, "Dark, I think Tepig wants to go with you."

"But I already have Panpour with me, wouldn't I be at an unfair advantage if I brought Tepig along with me?" Dark asked as Professor Juniper just ruffled his hair.

"Oh don't worry about that, Tepig really seems to like you, I know he'll be fine if he's with you." Professor Juniper said.

"(Take me with you, please?)" Tepig asked with sparkles in his eyes.

"Okay, I'll take Tepig with me." Dark said as Tepig squealed happily and jumped into Dark's arms.

"Alright, first off here's Tepig's Pokeball, I know you'll take good care of him." Professor Juniper said giving Dark Tepig's Pokeball.

"Thanks professor, Tepig return." Dark said as Tepig happily returned to his Pokeball.

"(Seriously, there's no way those Pokeballs can be comfy on the inside.)" Panpour said.

"(Trust me, I don't like going into mine either.)" Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Now normally a new trainer is given five Pokeballs and a Pokedex, but since you have two Pokemon with you I've decided to give you four Pokeballs instead as well as a Pokedex." Professor Juniper said giving Dark a Pokedex and four Pokeballs.

"Thanks again Professor Juniper." Dark said happily.

"The nearest Pokemon Gym from where we are is in Striaton City, so I think the best thing for you two to do is to challenge the Striaton Gym first." Professor Juniper said.

"Thanks, we'll do that." Ash said as Dark nodded in agreement.

"You know, you two might bump into Trip, he left here ahead of you." Professor Juniper said with a wink as Ash and Dark remembered the battle with Trip earlier.

"Next time I battle him, I'll win for sure. Right Pikachu?" Ash said with determination.

"(Yeah we will.)" Pikachu said in agreement.

"And maybe I can get Trip to battle me next." Dark said happily as Professor Juniper looked at Dark closely mostly his shorts.

"Hmm, Dark can't be a good Pokemon Trainer if he's gonna travel around wearing only those shorts, I guess I'll just have to make something nice for him." Professor Juniper thought with a smile.

"And maybe I'll find out what that voice was talking about on this journey." Dark said confusing Ash and Professor Juniper.

"What voice?" Ash asked.

"Didn't you hear a voice saying something about strong ideals when Pikachu was being examined?" Dark asked.

"I didn't hear anything like that. Did you Professor Juniper?" Ash asked.

"I'm afraid I didn't hear anything like that either." Professor Juniper said with a shrug.

"I thought for sure I heard someone say something about strong ideals." Dark said.

"You must be tired after what's happened today Dark. Come on, let's get some sleep, we'll start our journey tomorrow." Ash said with a yawn.

"I'll show you two where you can rest for the night." Professor Juniper said walking ahead of them while Ash and Dark followed her with their Pokemon on their shoulders.

* * *

Later, Ash, Pikachu, Dark, and Panpour were sound asleep while Professor Juniper was making some clothes in another room.

"I hope Dark likes these." Professor Juniper thought not noticing that Delia entered the room.

"Professor Juniper, what are you doing?" Delia asked as Professor Juniper noticed her.

"I'm just making something for Dark for his journey through Unova." Professor Juniper said as Delia sat next to her.

"I heard you say that his mom would be proud of him, but how come she's not here to see him off?" Delia asked as Professor Juniper's smile faded.

"I guess Ash didn't tell you. You see, Dark's mom died a long time ago." Professor Juniper said sadly as Delia placed a hand over her mouth in shock.

"Well, what about his father?" Delia asked.

"That's the thing, he doesn't have one. You see, about six years ago, me and my friend, Mitsumi found Dark deep in the forest in some kind of broken ship when he was only four years old. So me and Mitsumi took him into her home to heal him up, and that's when Mitsumi decided to raise Dark as her own son." Professor Juniper explained sadly as Delia put a hand to her chest feeling sad for Dark now.

"Oh, that poor boy." Delia said sadly.

"After her death, I took it upon myself to look after Dark, but he refused to leave his home in the forest. I hope his journey with Ash goes well." Professor Juniper said.

"Here, let me help." Delia offered while starting another sewing machine as the two ladies got busy making something for Dark.

* * *

The next day, Ash was waiting outside the lab for Dark then Dark came out wearing a blue hoodie with a black t-shirt underneath, a pair of black pants, a pair of red shoes, a blue backpack across his shoulders, and he was wearing a red and white hat on his head. (A/N: Like the male main character from Pokemon Black and Pokemon White, only shorter.)

Dark walked over to see Ash, Pikachu, Panpour, Delia, Professor Oak, and Professor Juniper waiting for him as Dark walked over to stand next to Ash.

"(Hey, looking good buddy.)" Panpour said before taking his place on Dark's shoulder while Pikachu did the same for Ash.

"Where did you get the new clothes?" Ash asked.

"It turns out that Professor Juniper and your mom made them for me." Dark answered.

"Well of course, you didn't think you would make it far only in your shorts did you?" Professor Juniper asked with a smile.

"Where's your handkerchief? Are your clothes packed? Do you have any underwear?" Delia asked Ash making double sure.

"Don't worry mom, I'm not a little kid." Ash said while Dark and Panpour just looked at each other.

"There's a Pokemon Center on the other side of the port, stop by there if you two need help." Professor Juniper said.

"Right, see ya later. Let's go Dark." Ash said as Dark nodded and the two ran on ahead with their Pokemon with them.

"Take care Ash and Dark, and be safe!" Delia waved.

"Boys, good luck and have fun!" Professor Oak called out as the boys ran off to their first step into their journey through Unova.

* * *

Soon Ash and Dark were on their way to Striaton City for their first Gym battle.

"Alright, now's the perfect time to catch some Pokemon." Ash said.

"Like what? There could be many Pokemon all over the Unova Region." Dark said.

"Maybe we'll meet a Bug-Type first, or a Grass-Type or a Water-Type." Ash said sounding happy until the boys stopped when they saw someone behind a fruit bush, it looked like something with purple hair.

"A Pokemon?" Ash asked getting excited while checking his Pokedex with Dark standing next to him.

"Axew, the Tusk Pokemon. Axew marks its territory by making scratch marks on trees with its tusks, which regrow if they fall out." the Pokedex explained showing a picture of a Pokemon that didn't look anything like they were seeing in front of them.

"That doesn't look like this. I'll catch it anyway." Ash said getting a Pokeball ready.

"Uh Ash, I don't think that's such a good idea. What if it's not a Pokemon?" Dark warned thinking that it's not a Pokemon in the bush.

"Nonsense Dark, watch and learn. Now, go Pokeball!" Ash yelled before he threw the Pokeball at what he thought might be an Axew, but it bounced off the hair.

"Ouch!" a female voice cried.

"Ouch!?" Ash and Dark repeated sounding shocked as they saw that the purple hair belonged to a young lady and she was mad about the Pokeball hitting her head.

"Okay, what was that for!?" the girl yelled at Ash and Dark.

"You see, I was only trying to catch a Pokemon." Ash said a little nervously as the girl got closer to him and Dark.

"Oh so what you're telling me is that I look like a Pokemon. That Pokedex, is this cute face in there? Tell me, is it!?" the girl yelled at Ash.

"No, uh sorry?" Ash said hopefully as the girl backed off.

"Fine, I accept you apology, but you two have got a long way to go as Pokemon Trainers if you two think I look like a Pokemon, right Axew?" the girl said holding some fruit out as the Pokemon from the Pokedex came out of the girl's purple hair and happily took the fruit.

"Wow, that's where it was." Ash said sounding surprised.

"(See? Dark told you that wasn't a Pokemon.)" Panpour said as Axew jumped out of the girl's hair and happily ate the fruit.

"Looks like Axew really likes it." Dark said happily as the girl turned to him.

"You didn't think I was a Pokemon too, did you?" the girl asked still a little sore about the Pokeball to the head.

"No, if anything, he tried to warn me, but I didn't listen to him." Ash replied as Pikachu and Panpour walked up to see Axew as the girl was surprised to see Pikachu.

"Whoa, no way, a Pikachu!?" the girl exclaimed in shock before she picked up Pikachu.

"You've gotta be the sweetest thing ever, so cute! And those jiggly cheeks, you can't find anything this jiggly in Unova!" the girl said squeezing Pikachu and stroking his red cheeks.

"(Hey, come on, cut it out!)" Pikachu grunted not liking what the girl's doing to him.

"I, for one, am dying to know what a Pikachu's doing here in Unova! Come on, tell me, tell me, tell me!" the girl said still hugging Pikachu too tight.

"We're from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region." Ash said.

"Well him and Pikachu, not me and Panpour." Dark pointed out.

"Pallet Town?" the girl asked.

"Yeah, I'm Ash and I want to enter the Unova League." Ash said while pointing his thumb at himself.

"I'm Dark, and this is my best friend Panpour." Dark said as he and Panpour waved at the girl happily.

"Isn't that nice? It's nice to meet you two, I'm Iris." Iris said not noticing that Pikachu's face was now turning blue but Dark saw it.

"Uh, I think you should let Pikachu go Iris." Dark warned.

"(That's it, I can't take it anymore!)" Pikachu yelled before he used Thunderbolt on Iris.

"Wow, boy that tickles!" Iris yelled before Pikachu stopped and she fell over in pain as Ash and Dark laughed nervously.

* * *

"Sorry about that." Iris said to Pikachu after she recovered but Pikachu had his arms crossed.

"Tell me guys, wasn't there a thunderstorm in Nuvema Town yesterday?" Iris asked.

"Sure was, Professor Juniper said that Zekrom caused all that lightning." Ash answered.

"(And then Dark made up some silly story about hearing someone say something about strong ideals.)" Panpour added as Iris got all excited after hearing the name Zekrom and got close to the boys faces.

"Whoa, Zekrom, the legendary Pokemon caused it!? Please guys, I want to know everything!" Iris said excitedly.

"Uh okay, where do we begin?" Dark asked before Pikachu spotted something.

"(Hey look.)" Pikachu said as everyone saw a Deerling pass by.

"The Pokemon from yesterday! Come on!" Ash yelled as he grabbed Dark's hand and ran to catch up with the Deerling with Pikachu and Panpour on their trainer's shoulder.

"Hey, wait up! Ash! Dark!" Iris yelled before she ran after them with Axew in her hair.

* * *

Soon they finally caught up to Deerling but they found a bunch of Deerling in one place as they hid in a bush.

"Wow. What are they?" Ash asked.

"They're Deerling, me and Panpour made friends out of some of them back home." Dark said with a smile as Ash checked his Pokedex.

"Deerling, the Season Pokemon. With the change of each season, Deerling's appearance changes as well." the Pokedex explained.

"(That explains why Deerling were green instead of pink last summer.)" Panpour said to himself.

"Wow, those are Deerling. They're awesome!" Ash said before he sprung out of the bush with Pikachu landing on top of Dark and he got a Pokeball ready.

"Now the lesson will really begin Dark, let's catch a Pokemon!" Ash yelled before he threw a Pokeball at a Deerling but she just bounced it off her head leaving Ash a bit disappointed.

"Uh, is that suppose to happen?" Dark asked in confusion as he and Iris walked to stand next to Ash.

"You don't get it, you act like a little kid. If you want to catch it, you've gotta battle it." Iris told Ash.

"I knew that, come on Pikachu!" Ash said as Pikachu jumped off of Dark's head and got ready to battle a Deerling, but for some reason all the Deerling ran off.

"Hey, wait up!" Ash yelled to the Deerling.

"(Come back!)" Pikachu yelled until everyone heard something as they looked to their left to see a bunch of Patrat running by as they made Ash and Pikachu spin around as they passed by until they were gone.

"Okay, I give, who was that Pokemon anyway?" Ash said as he and Pikachu swayed until they fell over feeling dizzy.

"They're called Patrat." Dark answered with a silly smile.

"You are a little kid." Iris sighed.

"(Yeah, little kid.)" Axew agreed from Iris' hair.

* * *

Later that day, it was time to eat as Ash got a couple of apples off of a tree.

"I wonder if we could eat these?" Ash asked.

"Where did Iris go?" Dark asked until several more apples came down from the tree as Dark and Panpour jumped out of the way, but Ash and Pikachu were not so lucky and were now under a big pile of apples as Iris came down from the tree.

"Come and get it, dinner!" Iris yelled happily as Dark was really happy and began to munch on some of the apples with Panpour.

"Huh, where did Ash go?" Iris asked looking around for Ash.

"Down here." Ash said as Iris saw him and Pikachu under the apples while Dark and Panpour kept eating.

"Sorry about that." Iris apologized.

"Don't move, I'd like to get another apple." Dark said getting another apple.

"(Make that two.)" Panpour said grabbing another apple.

* * *

Later that night, Ash and Dark told Iris what happened in Nuvema Town involving Pikachu and what they thought might be Zekrom.

"I see, so Pikachu had a really rough day because of Zekrom." Iris said while sitting on a tree branch with Axew.

"Pikachu wasn't able to use any Electric-Type moves because of all the intense stuff Zekrom was up to." Ash said.

"Well that's what Professor Juniper said, I think." Dark said remembering that he didn't really pay attention back at the lab.

"Well Zekrom is a legendary Pokemon you know. I'd love to meet Zekrom one day, I can't wait to meet Zekrom!" Iris said.

"(Me too, me too!)" Axew said sharing Iris' thoughts about Zekrom.

"Unova's got lots of cool Pokemon, not just Zekrom, I'll meet them all." Ash said.

"(Well I'd say you're off to a pretty good start, you've already met Pokemon like me and Axew.)" Panpour happily pointed out, but no one else said anything.

"Iris?" Ash asked as he and Dark saw that Iris and Axew were asleep.

"I guess she must be tired." Dark said before he, Ash, Panpour, and Pikachu looked up at the stars in the sky and they saw a shooting star.

"What was that?" Dark asked in confusion.

"A shooting star, that's great, good luck! Pikachu, don't you feel lucky too?" Ash asked.

"(You bet I do!)" Pikachu said happily as Dark and Panpour looked at each other in confusion before they looked behind them to see Oshawott from before.

"What's he doing here?" Dark thought in confusion.

* * *

The next day, Ash, Pikachu, Dark, and Panpour were continuing on their way to Striaton City but Iris wasn't with them for some reason.

"Iris left early." Dark said.

"You're right, I wonder where she could've gone?" Ash asked.

"(You've got me.)" Pikachu said.

"Well no big deal, it's a brand new day!" Ash said happily.

"(You're really happy about getting a Pokemon from this region aren't ya?)" Panpour asked with his hands behind his head before they heard something as they looked up to see a Pidove flying ahead.

"Whoa, what's that?" Ash asked.

"That's a Pidove, in fact one of them helped me and Panpour get to Professor Juniper's lab before we met you guys." Dark said as Ash pulled his Pokedex out for more info.

"Pidove, the Tiny Pigeon Pokemon. A Pidove flock's cooing can get extremely noisy. Pidove is not attracted to shiny objects." the Pokedex explained.

"Cool, a Pidove. Let's go!" Ash said happily before running on ahead.

"(Right behind ya!)" Pikachu yelled following Ash.

"Wait for us!" Dark yelled as he and Panpour ran after Ash and Pikachu until they were in front of a bunch of Pidove.

"Okay, let's battle that one!" Ash said pointing at the Pidove in front of them as both Pidove and Pikachu got ready.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, now!" Ash yelled as Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt at Pidove knocking it out in one shot as the other Pidove saw their friend go down.

"Wow, and in one shot too." Dark said in awe.

"Alright, and now, go Poke..." Ash didn't finish as the other Pidove were angry and they unleashed some attacks at the two trainers and their Pokemon while the one Pidove recovered and flew away like the others did leaving Ash and Pikachu to pant while Dark was laughing with joy.

"(Well that was fun. Maybe next time we can sleep in a bush full of Poison Ivy!)" Panpour yelled as he didn't enjoy what the Pidove did.

"Hey Pikachu, are you okay?" Ash asked.

"(Yeah, sure.)" Pikachu replied.

"I guess it's never easy, is it? But no way am I giving up." Ash said.

"(Me either!)" Pikachu said as they heard a Pidove coo.

"Hey Ash, there's one Pidove left." Dark said pointing at the remaining Pidove.

"Let's get it this time." Ash said.

"(Right.)" Pikachu said as the Pidove turned to them.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pikachu ran fast and hit Pidove quickly as it skidded back and then shook off the pain.

"Alright, now use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled as Pikachu got his tail ready to strike Pidove with and then slammed it with his tail then Pidove struggled to get back up.

"Okay, now's the time, go Pokeball!" Ash yelled before he threw the Pokeball at Pidove as it sucked up Pidove, but after a few shakes Pidove broke free.

"Oh man, and I almost had it too." Ash said before Pidove flapped its wings causing a big wind to blow their way.

"What's Pidove doing?" Dark asked through the wind.

"That's Gust, hold on Pikachu!" Ash yelled before Pidove came flying towards Pikachu fast and it hit the Mouse Pokemon.

"Oh no, that was Quick Attack." Ash said as Pidove then fired an attack that looked like a blue x at Pikachu.

"(What was that?)" Panpour asked.

"That was Air Cutter." Ash said before Pidove came at Pikachu using Quick Attack again.

"Dodge it Pikachu!" Ash yelled as Pikachu quickly dodge as Pidove couldn't stop and crashed into a tree.

"Alright, Thunderbolt now!" Ash yelled as Pikachu fired a Thunderbolt at Pidove before it could get away making it fall back to the ground.

Ash turned his hat around before he said, "This is it, let's go Pokeball!" then he threw the Pokeball at Pidove again, sucking the Pokemon inside, and then after a few shakes and a click sound, Ash successfully caught Pidove.

"Alright, my first Unova Region Pokemon, I caught a Pidove!" Ash exclaimed happily while holding the Pokeball with Pidove in it up.

"(Yeah, a new friend!)" Pikachu yelled happily.

"And that Dark is how you catch a Pokemon." Ash said to Dark.

"Cool, I can't wait to try it myself." Dark said as he and Panpour decided to cheer with Ash and Pikachu until they saw Iris walking towards them.

"Hi Iris." Dark said happily.

"You're that excited about catching a little Pidove? What a kid." Iris said as Axew popped out of her hair as she handed him an apple while the Pokemon got down to the ground.

"Of course I'm excited, I've got a new friend, plus this is my first Unova Region Pokemon." Ash said happily as Panpour saw Pikachu and Axew sharing the apple.

"Well on second thought, you and that Pidove might be a perfect match." Iris said before a couple of robot hands grabbed Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew.

"(Hey, what's the big idea!? Let us go!)" Panpour yelled at what looked like a man with Periwinkle hair and green eyes, a woman with long Magenta hair and blue eyes, and a Pokemon that looks like a cat with a shiny charm on his forehead.

"You guys again?" Ash asked in anger.

"'Again?' is the question? So twerpish indeed." the lady said.

"The answer will come as we feel the need." the man said.

"Bringing the blinding white light of evil into the future!" lady.

"Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe!" man.

"Carving our names in the Rock of Eternity!" the Cat Pokemon said.

"The fiery destroyer, Jessie!"

"And with thunderous emotion, I am James!"

"Wisest of the wise, Meowth!"

"And now gather, under the name of Team Rocket!" all three of them declared.

"Team Rocket?" Iris and Dark asked in confusion.

"They're a group of bad guys who steal other people's Pokemon." Ash explained.

"Right, evil deeds like stealing Pokemon are the one stock trade to rule the world because that's what we do." Jessie said.

"Axew is not yours, it's mine, give him back." Iris said.

"And I want Panpour back too." Dark said while glaring at Team Rocket.

"I see, so those are Axew and Panpour." James said while looking at Axew and Panpour.

"And we claim Axew and Panpour as our takeover of the Unova Region." Meowth said.

"(Ooh I'm gonna soak you good when I get outta here you sneaky cat, now get me outta here!)" Panpour yelled in anger.

"Hold on, you must be a Meowth. What are you doing here? Forget about that, how can you talk!?" Iris asked as she and Dark were surprised to see an actual talking Pokemon.

"Simple, I'm a genius. A Meowth that you can only hear once in a lifetime." Meowth said flicking one of his whiskers while Panpour, Pikachu, and Axew were put in a glass box as they tried to break free.

"Save your breath, you're only wasting energy." James said to the Pokemon in the box.

"Oh no you don't, go Tepig!" Dark yelled getting Tepig out as he blew fire out his snout.

"You don't know them like me, I'll help out. Pidove, I choose you!" Ash yelled getting his Pidove out to help Tepig.

"They're using Region Pokemon too." James said while looking at Tepig and Pidove.

"You're up Meowth, show them not to mess with a Pokemon from Kanto!" Jessie yelled as Meowth got sharp claws ready.

"**Fury Swipes!**" Meowth yelled jumping towards Tepig with his claws ready.

"Tepig, use Ember!" Dark yelled as Tepig shot small flames from his snout at Meowth hitting his tail.

"Yeow, that burns, tail's on fire!" Meowth yelled while holding his tail before Dark came and put the flame out for Meowth.

"Are you okay?" Dark asked.

"The question is will you be!?" Meowth yelled before he tried to slash Dark with his Fury Swipes attack but Dark kept dodging the claws until he kicked Meowth in the gut back over to Jessie and James.

"That wasn't very nice." Dark said as Meowth got up and holding his gut from the kick.

"Ow, be careful guys, that twerp sure knows how to kick." Meowth warned while pointing at Dark.

"Alright, try my Pokemon on for size!" Jessie yelled as she threw a Pokeball and out came a Pokemon that looked like a ball of puff with bat wings.

"What's that?" Ash asked while looking at the new Pokemon.

"It's a Woobat." Iris answered.

"A Woobat?" Dark asked as he pulled out his Pokedex for more info.

"Woobat, the Bat Pokemon. Its habitat is dark forests and caves. It emits ultrasonic waves from its nose to learn about its surroundings. Suction from its nostrils enables it to stick to cave walls during sleep. It leaves a heart-shaped mark behind." the Pokedex explained.

"A Woobat, that name's gotta a nice ring to it." Meowth commented.

"Nice ring is a good thing. Woobat, use Air Slash!" Jessie said as Woobat's wings glowed before it fired sharp disks of wind at Tepig and Pidove.

"Dodge it quick!" Ash and Dark yelled as Pidove and Tepig dodged the Air Slash attacks.

"Alright Pidove, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pidove started to fly towards Woobat with great speed.

"Dodge, and use Gust!" Jessie yelled as Woobat flew away from Pidove's range of attack and then flapped its wings fast causing Pidove to fall to the ground.

"Tepig, catch Pidove!" Dark yelled as Tepig nodded and ran over to catch Pidove.

"I don't think so, Air Slash!" Jessie yelled as Woobat threw its Air Slash attack at Tepig, knocking both Tepig and Pidove out as Ash, Dark, and Iris ran over to the injured Pokemon.

"Pidove, come on snap out of it." Ash said picking up Pidove while Dark did the same for Tepig as Jessie returned her Woobat.

"This was a worthwhile catch, of course I caught it." Jessie said while looking at Woobat's Pokeball.

"Our first part of our mission is complete, off we go." James said opening a box that soon turned into a hot air balloon as Ash, Dark, and Iris saw Team Rocket get in.

Jessie laughed, "It's a pleasure doing business with you twerps."

"But do Meowth a favor and keep that one under control." Meowth said while pointing at Dark as their balloon started to rise off the ground with Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew still in the glass box.

"You're not getting away with Panpour, Pikachu, and Axew!" Dark yelled before he, Iris, and Ash ran over to a tree next to them.

"I'm coming Axew!" Iris yelled as she jumped from branch to branch.

"Pikachu, Panpour, Axew, we'll save you!" Ash yelled before he started to climb the tree with Dark climbing behind him before they both leaped from the tree to try and grab the box, but Ash didn't reach and started to fall while Dark used Ash as a little boost as he grabbed on to the box while Ash fell down to the ground on his back while Iris jumped down from the tree to check on him.

"You okay Ash?" Iris asked as Ash sat up.

"Yeah. Wait, where's Dark?" Ash asked while looking around until Iris pointed up as Ash looked to see Dark clinging to the glass box.

"Hang on you three, I'll get you out of there!" Dark yelled to Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew.

"(How's he gonna do that? The glass might be tough.)" Pikachu said before Dark drew his head back before he smashed it against the glass, breaking a hole for them to escape, shocking Team Rocket, Ash, Iris, Pikachu, and Axew as Panpour just smiled and ran out to take his place on Dark's shoulder.

"Okay, how did that twerp do that!?" Jessie yelled in anger as Pikachu got on Dark's other shoulder and Axew got on Dark's head.

"Maybe he's been taking vitamins?" James guessed getting a little scared.

"Hey, we stole those three fair and square!" Meowth yelled.

"At least he got them out." Ash said before Oshawott ran forward surprising Ash and Iris as Oshawott removed his scalchop and threw it at Team Rocket's balloon, poking a hole in it and sending Team Rocket, Dark, Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew down as Dark let go of the broken glass box, carried Axew in his arms while Pikachu and Panpour held on to his shoulders, and landed on his feet before Team Rocket came crashing to the ground as Ash and Iris ran over to Dark and the Pokemon.

"Pikachu, you're safe." Ash said as Pikachu went over to Ash.

"Axew, thank you Dark." Iris said taking Axew as the scalchop went back over to Oshawott who caught it, put it back on it's place on his belly before Oshawott jumped up and down with joy as Team Rocket landed on their feet.

"You don't do that to us!" Jessie yelled mainly at Dark for what he did earlier.

"Pikachu, Axew, and Panpour are our friends, you can't take them!" Ash yelled.

"Listen to Ash, cause he's telling the truth!" Iris yelled.

"Now Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled.

"Panpour, use Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Pikachu and Panpour got their attacks ready.

"Woobat go, use Air Slash!" Jessie yelled bringing out her Woobat who fired it's Air Slash that hit Pikachu and Axew while Panpour was lucky and jumped out of the way.

Panpour saw what happened to Pikachu and Axew before he glared at Woobat and said, "(Now just try that again, come on!)"

"I missed that little Water Monkey, let's try again! Use Air Slash!" Jessie as Woobat was getting another dose of Air Slash ready.

"Quick Panpour, use Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Panpour took a deep breath and got ready to fire his Water Gun, then Oshawott came by Panpour's side and they both fired water from their mouths and pushed Woobat back over to Team Rocket as Pikachu got back up.

"You can do it Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!" Ash yelled as Pikachu ran towards Team Rocket with his Volt Tackle ready, then James threw a smoke ball on the ground before Pikachu could land a hit.

When the smoke cleared, Ash, Dark, Iris, and the Pokemon saw that Team Rocket was nowhere to be seen.

"Guess Team Rocket got away." Ash said.

"At least we kept them from taking Panpour, Pikachu, and Axew away from us." Dark happily pointed out until they saw Pikachu and Axew fall to the ground from the damage they took from Woobat's Air Slash as Ash and Iris ran over to pick up Pikachu and Axew.

"Let's hurry to the Pokemon Center." Iris said as Ash and Dark nodded their heads and then ran to the nearest Pokemon Center.

"Thanks Oshawott!" Ash called out to the Pokemon that helped them out who just stood there.

* * *

Soon Ash, Dark, and Iris made it to the Pokemon Center and healed their Pokemon.

"Thank you for waiting, I'm happy to say that your Pokemon are feeling much better." a nurse with pink hair said happily while the Pokemon happily went back to their trainers.

"Oh I'm so relieved." Iris said holding Axew.

"So am I." Dark said with Tepig in his arms and Panpour on his shoulder.

"That's great Nurse Joy, thank you." Ash said to the nurse.

"Seeing a Pikachu is very unusual." Nurse Joy said.

"Guess so, see we're from Pallet Town. This is the first Pokemon Center we've seen since coming to the Unova Region." Ash told Nurse Joy.

"Then welcome, and just like Kanto, if your Pokemon ever need help, or if you need anything at all, feel free to stop by anytime." Nurse Joy said.

"Thank you." Ash said.

"Yeah, thank you Nurse Joy." Dark said bowing politely to Nurse Joy as Iris smiled at the two boys.

"Ash, Dark, I have to say, not bad." Iris said as Ash and Dark turned to her.

"You're still kids, but I'm impressed, thank you, you saved Axew." Iris said.

"(Yeah, thank you.)" Axew agreed.

"Well, you should both thank Dark and Oshawott, right buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"(That's right.)" Pikachu said with a smile until Ash thought of something.

"I still can't figure out why Oshawott helped us like that." Ash said as no one noticed that Oshawott was outside the Pokemon Center and looked at Ash through the window.

"Maybe he was being friendly and decided to help us out with Team Rocket. I know because my Pokemon friends back home like to help me and Panpour out from time to time." Dark said with a silly smile as Panpour nodded in agreement.

* * *

Later that night, Ash, Dark, and Iris decided to stay in a room at the Pokemon Center for the night and then continue to Striaton City tomorrow.

"I still can't believe that Dark was able to break the glass with his head like that." Ash said remembering the encounter with Team Rocket.

"Yeah Dark, why did you do that? You really could've gotten hurt when you did that." Iris told Dark.

"That wasn't so bad, I normally work out at home, and I can crush Boulders using only my hands." Dark said making Ash, Iris, and all the Pokemon, except for Panpour, look at him like he was crazy.

"(He's kidding right?)" Pikachu asked while sweating a little.

"(Afraid not, my golden boy is really strong alright, always caring for his friends.)" Panpour said with a smile.

"(What on Earth did I get myself into?)" Tepig asked while sweating nervously as Ash and Iris smelled something funny in the room.

"Hey guys, what's that smell?" Ash asked covering his nose as did Iris and the Pokemon before they all looked at Dark.

"Ugh, Dark, you stink." Ash said.

"I'm with Ash on this one. When was the last time you had a bath?" Iris asked as Dark thought about it for a second.

"Uh, what's a bath?" Dark asked shocking Ash, Iris, and some of the Pokemon.

"You're kidding right?" Ash asked as Dark just blinked.

"He seriously doesn't know what a bath is!? *Gulp* I guess we better show you." Iris said nervously before she, Ash, and Dark entered the bathroom as Ash laid a towel in front of Dark who removed his clothes and looked at the towel curiously while Iris was getting the soap and shampoo ready.

"That's what you use to dry yourself off when you're done, it's called a towel." Ash said standing next to Iris who rolled up her sleeves.

"Alright Dark, let's get this over with. Get in." Iris said as Dark looked at the tub with the towel in his hand.

"This is a bath?" Dark asked.

"Look at you, Dark, you're suppose to cover up the front with that towel!" Iris yelled seeing that Dark wasn't using the towel to cover himself.

"Cover the front, you mean like this?" Dark asked as he covered his face with the towel as Ash and Iris looked at each other, each with an annoyed expression on their faces.

Soon Ash and Iris got Dark in the tub as Ash lathered some soap over the mark on Dark's chest while Iris was putting shampoo in Dark's hair.

"Hey Iris, what's this fluffy stuff you're putting in my hair?" Dark asked in confusion.

"It's called shampoo, I'm putting it in your hair to clean it out. Ash, how are you doing with the tattoo on Dark's chest?" Iris asked seeing that Ash still had trouble getting the mark off.

"Not so good, no matter how many times I scrub, this tattoo won't go away." Ash said after he finally gave up.

"Oh this isn't a tattoo, it's... Actually, I don't know what it is, I think I've had it since the day I was born." Dark said before Iris was done lathering Dark's hair.

"You know Dark, I only do this to Axew, so consider yourself lucky." Iris said as she rinsed the shampoo out of Dark's hair as the water removed the soap on his chest as well.

"Alright, the only thing left to clean is his back." Ash said before he and Iris noticed Dark's tail as Iris held it in her hand.

"What the...? How does this thing stay on Dark? I thought it was attached to your pants or something." Iris said.

"And I thought it was attached to his shorts when I met him in Professor Juniper's lab. What did he do, glue it to his butt?" Ash said before he and Iris began to pull on Dark's tail.

"Ow! Hey, what are you two doing?" Dark asked not happy about having his tail pulled.

"We're taking this thing off so that I can scrub your back properly. What a kid." Iris sighed as she and Ash let go of Dark's tail.

"Is that all? Don't worry about that, I can scrub my own back." Dark said as he grabbed the brush from Iris using his tail surprising Ash and Iris as they saw Dark scrubbing his back with his tail.

"See? It's no problem." Dark said but Ash and Iris looked at Dark's tail in shock as they shook a little until they both screamed in shock as the Pokemon heard from outside the bathroom.

"(What was that?)" Panpour asked in confusion.

Ash and Iris were still shaking while looking at Dark's tail.

"I d-don't b-believe it, i-it moves." Ash said in shock.

"Th-That means that it's r-r-real!" Iris said in shock while Dark was clean and was now drying himself with the towel as all the Pokemon, except for Panpour, were also shocked when they found out that Dark's tail was real.

"Dark, why do you have a tail growing?" Iris asked still a little shaky as Dark stopped drying to look at Iris and Ash.

"I don't really know, it was just there when I woke up in my house, and I know that most boys have them. Well I wouldn't say that because Ash doesn't have a tail." Dark said.

"See? Normal people don't have tails or I would've had one." Ash pointed.

"I don't know Ash, you can be a pretty odd fellow sometimes." Dark said with a silly smile but that made Ash mad.

"You're the only oddball in this room!" Ash yelled as Dark put his clothes back on.

"Hey it's okay Ash, you and Iris don't have to be ashamed." Dark said innocently.

"Hey what do you mean by that!? What do we have to be ashamed of!?" Iris yelled getting mad at Dark as well.

"Well you both don't have a tail." Dark said as Ash and Iris were now red with anger.

"What do we have to do to point it out!? We don't want a tail!" Ash and Iris yelled.

"(Why not, it comes in handy.)" Panpour pointed out to the Pokemon who fell over as Ash, Dark, and Iris got ready for bed.

"Hey Dark, can I ask you something?" Ash asked as Dark happily nodded his head.

"Why were you living in the forest with your mom? I mean, what happened to your dad and your grandparents?" Ash asked as Iris and the Pokemon listened carefully as well.

"I'm not sure what happened. My mom and Professor Juniper just found me in the forest looking injured on a bed of grass when I was only four years old, so they picked me up, took me home, and took care of my injuries." Dark explained happily.

"You know you don't have to keep the tail just because you were born with one, I've heard that some Pokemon get their tails removed after being born." Iris pointed out shocking Ash.

"You and Ash shouldn't have let someone do that to you Iris, you two aren't Pokemon." Dark said innocently as Ash and Iris turned to glare at Dark.

"I'm not talking about us you kid, I never had a tail!" Iris yelled with her eyes closed.

"I've never had a tail before in my life! How many times do I have to tell you!?" Ash yelled with his eyes closed as well before they both opened their eyes to see that Dark was already asleep as they growled at the boy.

"Saying that stuff and then falls asleep like nothing happened, what a little kid!" Iris growled.

"I don't know what planet he's from, but I DO know that it's not Earth!" Ash growled but he, Iris, and the Pokemon eventually went to sleep as well.

* * *

The first step in their Unova Journey was really unexpected, but now with Pidove as part of Ash's team and a new friend in Iris and Axew, along with a visit from Team Rocket, Ash and Dark will soon reach Striaton City for their first Gym battle. What else will they run into on their way? What Pokemon will they see along the way? Find out as the journey continues next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	4. A Sandile Gusher of Change

Last time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, Ash and Dark have decided to journey through the Unova Region together. During the first part of their journey, they met a girl named Iris and her Pokemon Axew, then they met a group of bad guys called Team Rocket and tried to get away with Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew, but Dark freed the three Pokemon and Oshawott brought Team Rocket down from the sky. Now Ash, Dark, and Iris continue their journey through the Unova Region today!

A Sandile Gusher of Change

It was a nice sunny day and Ash and Dark were continuing on their way to Striaton City for their first Unova Gym battle with Iris walking next to them.

"So why are you coming along with me and Dark anyway?" Ash asked Iris in confusion.

"Excuse me, but it's not that I'm coming along with you two, it's that you two are coming along with me, get it?" Iris explained walking ahead.

"We are?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Oh please." Ash said before he walked faster to be ahead of Iris.

"It's true." Iris said as Axew popped out before Iris walked faster ahead of Ash.

"Man." Ash groaned before walking faster.

"Excuse me." Iris said walking faster.

"Excuse me." Ash said as he and Iris started to walk faster than the other as Dark joined them while laughing, thinking that it was some sort of race as he started to go even faster until Iris grabbed his tail, then stopped to face Ash who stopped as well.

"What's the matter guys?" Dark asked in confusion as Iris let go of Dark's tail.

"Who said you two could walk in front of me?" Iris asked in anger.

"No one." Ash replied just as angry.

"Look, I'd figure that since you two don't know the Unova Region I'd help you two out. And what do I get for trying to be a little nice? Obviously not even a little 'thank you'." Iris said crossing her arms.

"Oh sorry, thanks Iris." Dark said with a silly smile on his face before Ash placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't remember me or Dark asking you to come along." Ash argued.

"Sure, go ahead and act like a tough guy. You're such a kid." Iris said with her eyes closed.

"Oh yeah? Well you're such a kid too." Ash said.

"(No kidding.)" Pikachu agreed as Iris glared at Ash.

"You've got some nerve saying that to me!" Iris yelled as she and Ash glared at each other as no one else but Dark saw someone familiar.

"Hey guys, look who's-" Dark said before he was interrupted.

"Stay out of this Dark!" Ash and Iris yelled still glaring at each other.

"But Oshawott came back, look." Dark said as Ash and Iris turned to see that it was indeed the Oshawott from their encounter with Team Rocket with a smile on his face.

"(Alright, I finally caught up to you again.)" Oshawott said happily while looking at Ash.

"You're right Dark, it is Oshawott." Iris said.

"I remember." Ash said remembering what happened during the encounter they had with Team Rocket before he pulled out his Pokedex for more info.

"Oshawott, the Sea Otter Pokemon. Oshawott attacks and defends using the scalchop that can be removed from its stomach." the Pokedex explained before Ash put it away.

"Thanks for helping us out back there, but I don't understand what you're doing here now." Ash said as Oshawott moved closer to Ash.

"(Come on, I was following you and that kid with the tail.)" Oshawott said.

"(You were? Ash this Oshawott was following us.)" Pikachu said making it clear for the others.

"Wow, so you were following us?" Ash asked as Oshawott happily nodded his head.

"You're so cute, and you were following me." Iris said happily as she bent down and took Oshawott into her arms.

"If your skin was any softer, your cheeks would be squishier, I just couldn't stand it." Iris said poking Oshawott on the cheek.

"(Hey, quit it.)" Oshawott said not happy about his cheek being poked.

"Of course, since it's obvious you can't live without me I promise I'll take care of you as my own Pokemon." Iris said before Oshawott freed himself and shook his head.

"(No, you don't get it, it's him I want to be with.)" Oshawott said moving over to Ash and pushing Pikachu from his spot on Ash's shoulder.

"You okay Pikachu?" Dark asked as Pikachu got up and glared at the Sea Otter Pokemon who jumped off of Ash's shoulder to face him.

"(It's him I like, him.)" Oshawott said pointing at Ash then Pikachu fired a Thunderbolt and aimed it at Oshawott who removed his scalchop to deflect the attack, but it ended up hitting Ash who fell over and twitched a little as Dark, Panpour, Iris, and Axew laughed at the scene.

"What was that for?" Ash asked sitting up to look at Oshawott.

"(Sorry about that, that's my #1 line of defense.)" Oshawott said with an apologetic look on his face.

"Hey Ash, I'm starting to get the feeling that this Oshawott would like to be caught by you." Iris said.

"I'm starting to think the same thing. Is that why you followed us Oshawott?" Dark asked as Oshawott nodded with sparkles in his eyes as Ash stood up and removed his backpack.

"Well, since you really helped us out with Team Rocket along with Dark, do you want to come along with us?" Ash asked.

"(Yes, yes, and let me think, YES!)" Oshawott said happily.

"(That's one odd Pokemon.)" Pikachu said.

"(You can say that again.)" Panpour agreed as Ash ran a few feet away and turned his hat around.

"Okay Oshawott, go Pokeball!" Ash yelled before he threw a Pokeball at Oshawott as it bounced off his head, but it just landed on the ground after the hit.

"(Ow, what did you do that for?)" Oshawott asked rubbing the spot where the Pokeball hit his head as the others were just as confused.

"What's up with the Pokeball bouncing off of Oshawott's head like that?" Ash asked in confusion.

"I thought you guys said that you need to battle a Pokemon before you can catch it." Dark said in confusion before Ash realized something.

"Wait a minute, I wonder." Ash said silently before he turned to Dark and said, "Hey Dark, bring Tepig out, I'd like to see something."

"Sure, come on out Tepig!" Dark said bringing out his Tepig who was now in front of Oshawott who was now happy to see Tepig.

"(Hey, what's up buddy?)" Oshawott asked happily as Tepig looked shocked to see Oshawott, happy but still shocked.

"(Oshawott, what are you doing here?)" Tepig asked.

"(I'm coming with you as that guy's Pokemon, there's just something about him that makes me want to go with him.)" Oshawott said while pointing at Ash.

"(Wait, wait ,wait, hold on a second, you left the lab without Professor Juniper knowing?)" Tepig asked surprising the other Pokemon along with Dark who can surprisingly understand Pokemon pretty well.

"Ash, I think that's the Oshawott from Professor Juniper's lab." Dark said making it clear for Ash and Iris.

"I guess that would mean that his Pokeball's back in Professor Juniper's lab." Ash said.

"Don't worry, I'll run over there and get it." Dark said getting ready to run until Iris stopped him.

"I've got a better, we'll just call her on the nearest phone from here." Iris said.

"Oh okay, but I have one more question." Dark said.

"Ask away Dark." Ash said with a smile.

"What's a phone?" Dark asked in confusion making Ash, Iris, and all the Pokemon fall over.

"(What is he, a caveman?)" Oshawott asked while sweat dropping.

"I'll show you once we find a place to call Professor Juniper." Iris said while sweat dropping.

* * *

Ash, Dark, Iris, and the Pokemon soon made it to a building and used a video phone to inform Professor Juniper about Oshawott.

"So that's where Oshawott's been. I was so worried when Oshawott left the lab without telling me." Professor Juniper said on the video phone.

"Yeah, I guess Oshawott followed us." Ash said while scratching the back of his head.

"Well Ash, if it's not too much trouble, why don't you look after Oshawott?" Professor Juniper asked.

"Professor are you sure?" Ash asked.

"It's no trouble at all, I'll send Oshawott's Pokeball over to you." Professor Juniper happily said before a machine next to the phone sparked and a Pokeball appeared out of nowhere as Ash picked it up.

"I've got it Professor Juniper." Ash said as Dark kept looking at the machine.

"How did the Pokeball get here that fast, is this thing magic?" Dark asked in confusion.

"One more thing Ash, since Oshawott tends to wander off, keep an eye on him, later boys." Professor Juniper said before she ended the call as Ash, Dark, and Iris looked at each other and then they looked behind them to see Tepig but Oshawott was gone surprising Tepig.

"Oshawott? Where did he go?" Dark asked looking around before they exited the building to look around outside.

"(I don't believe it, he got away again?)" Panpour asked a little annoyed.

"Oh man, where could Oshawott be?" Ash asked looking around.

"Well, I guess I'm just gonna have to help you find him." Iris said as Ash turned his head away.

"I can do it myself." Ash said annoyed.

"Come on Ash, Iris is nice enough to help, besides we're all Pokemon Trainers, aren't we?" Dark asked as Iris smiled and patted Dark on the head.

"See? Dark agrees with me." Iris said but Ash just walked ahead with Pikachu on his shoulder.

"I guess we should just look for Oshawott, Tepig return." Dark said trying to return Tepig to his Pokeball but Tepig jumped away from the red laser and shook his head.

"What's wrong?" Dark asked in confusion.

"(I don't want to go back in there until we find Oshawott, he's my best friend and I want to help find him.)" Tepig said.

"Oh okay Tepig, we'll find Oshawott together." Dark said making Tepig happy before Iris grabbed Dark's hand and followed Ash with the Pokemon right behind them.

"Ash wait, quit being so stubborn." Iris said but then the ground beneath them gave way and the three Pokemon Trainers and their Pokemon fell down a small hole.

"Ooh that hurts." Ash groaned.

"(What just happened?)" Panpour asked while rubbing his head.

"We fell in a hole." Dark said simply.

"I can see that, but who did this?" Iris asked.

"(I think I know who would make something like this.)" Pikachu said annoyed.

"(Really, who?)" Panpour asked but a different came from up above before Pikachu could answer.

"It was Sandile." Ash, Dark, Iris, and the Pokemon looked up to see a boy looking down at them.

* * *

Soon the boy got Ash, Dark, Iris, and their Pokemon out of the hole and Ash decided to use his Pokedex to find out more about a Pokemon named Sandile.

"Sandile, the Desert Croc Pokemon. A dark membrane protects its eyes from the sun, and it buries itself in the sand with its eyes and nose sticking out." the Pokedex explained before Ash put it away.

"Thanks for helping us out of there, I'm Iris, this is Ash, and this little guy is Dark." Iris introduced to the boy who helped them out.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Dan. My family and I operate and resort spa and hotel that's not far from here." Dan said with a smile.

"This is so cool, I happen to adore resort spas." Iris said with a big smile.

"Me too." Ash said.

"What's a resort spa?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Well that makes me really happy to hear that, but it makes me sad to say that we're closed right now because of Sandile." Dan said as his smile faded surprising Ash, Dark, and Iris.

* * *

Dan took Ash, Dark, Iris, and the Pokemon to his family's resort spa to see holes in the sand and some trees down.

"Our hot sand spa is our hotel's biggest attraction, unfortunately now it looks like this." Dan said as they looked at the spa.

"That's too bad." Ash said.

"This is all because of Sandile?" Dark asked as Dan nodded his head.

"It just happened a short time ago, we were just getting our last guests comfy in the hot sand when a bunch of wild Sandile showed up and caused trouble around here, scaring the guests away, so for now I'm afraid we're gonna have to stay closed." Dan explained.

"I don't understand how a bunch of friendly Sandile could've suddenly gotten destructive." Iris said.

"Yeah, we don't have any idea either." Dan said.

"So, let's help them find out." Ash said.

"(Let's do it.)" Pikachu agreed before Ash ran over to the hot sand with Pikachu on his shoulder as Dark and Iris looked at each other in confusion until they looked to see Ash and Pikachu relaxing with their bodies covered in the hot sand.

Ash gave out a relaxing sigh, "It doesn't get any better than this."

"(You said it buddy.)" Pikachu said with a relaxing sigh as well as Dark, Panpour, Tepig, Iris, and Dan walked over to Ash and Pikachu.

"Uh Ash, what are you and Pikachu doing?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"Well, before we figure it out, we need research first." Ash said.

"(Yeah, a good amount of research.)" Pikachu agreed.

"All you care about is checking out the hot sand." Iris said with an annoyed expression on her face before they saw Axew pop up out of the hot sand next to Pikachu.

"Not you too." Iris said with a dull expression on her face.

"(Hey maybe I should try it out.)" Panpour said with a smile on his face before Tepig tapped him on the back.

"(Remember what we were doing before.)" Tepig reminded Panpour and Dark.

"This is the best." Ash said still enjoying the sand.

"(No doubt about that.)" Pikachu said.

"(Yeah, this feels good.)" Axew agreed as Dark smelled something and walked around to find the source.

"Ash, I thought we were searching for Oshawott." Iris reminded as Ash and Pikachu sat up.

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Wait, where's Dark?" Ash asked.

"Found him!" Dark called out as Ash, Iris, Dan, and the Pokemon turned to see Dark next to Oshawott who was also relaxing in the hot sand with his scalchop on his forehead as they ran over to them.

"Hold on, hove you been laying there the whole time?" Ash asked.

"(Yeah, this is really great.)" Oshawott said as Tepig angrily walked over.

"(So you were just relaxing this entire time, do you even have any idea how worried we were about you!? We've been looking for you, just don't ever wander without us again!)" Tepig scolded but Oshawott was still relaxing.

"That's one happy Pokemon." Ash said as Dark heard something from behind as he turned around to see something coming their way from underground.

"Look out guys!" Dark yelled as they turned around to see something pop up out of the sand, it was a Pokemon that looks like a brown and black stripped crocodile who was also wearing a pair of sunglasses.

"That's the leader of the Sandile." Dan said pointing at the newcomer known as Sandile who came and grabbed Axew in his jaws.

"No, Axew!" Iris yelled in concern.

"Don't worry Axew, we'll save you." Dark said running over to Sandile.

"(What's he gonna do?)" Oshawott asked in confusion before Dark grabbed Sandile and then started to tickle him as Sandile tried his best not to laugh.

"If you want me to stop, let go of Axew." Dark said.

"(No, I won't.)" Sandile said with his mouthful as Iris ran over to grab Sandile.

"You better let go of my Axew or else!" Iris grunted as she pulled.

"(Never!)" Sandile grunted as Ash, Pikachu, Panpour, Oshawott, and Tepig ran over to help.

"Come on, open your mouth." Ash said holding on to Sandile while Pikachu and Oshawott grabbed Axew, Panpour held on to Pikachu, and Tepig held on to Oshawott.

"(Get me outta here!)" Axew yelled as the Pokemon started to pull.

"Okay, let's all pull at once." Ash said before everyone started to pull as Pikachu's ear tickled Sandile's nose making him let go of Axew as he glared and then grabbed Pikachu and Oshawott in his jaw by the arm and foot as Panpour and Tepig jumped out of the way.

"Pikachu, Oshawott!" Ash yelled before Sandile began to run away with Pikachu and Oshawott.

"(Oh no you don't!)" Panpour yelled before he and Tepig chased after Sandile then they grabbed his legs.

"(Aha, now we've gotcha!)" Panpour yelled happily before the five Pokemon mysteriously rose out of the ground and onto some sort of magnet.

"(And now someone's got us.)" Tepig said while sweat dropping as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Dan looked to see Team Rocket in a vehicle with the five Pokemon on the magnet.

"What's all that?" Ash asked in confusion.

"What's going on?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Open your ears for the answer indeed!"

"The answer to come as we feel the need!"

"Bringing the blinding white light of evil into your future!"

"Hammering justice onto the black universe!"

"Carving our names in the Rock of Eternity!"

"The fiery destroyer, Jessie!"

"With thunderous emotion, I am James!"

"Wisest of the wise, Meowth!"

"Now gather under the name of Team Rocket!" the three members of Team Rocket finished their motto together.

"(Those three from yesterday?)" Panpour asked in confusion and anger.

"Team Rocket!" Ash exclaimed.

"Don't you ever give up?" Iris asked.

"It's not nice to steal our Pokemon, so give them back!" Dark yelled.

"There's a huge flaw there since they're now OUR Pokemon." Jessie said.

"(No we're not!)" Pikachu yelled.

"(Get us down from here!)" Oshawott yelled as Team Rocket started to drive away with the Pokemon.

"Hey, come back here!" Dark yelled before he, Ash, and Iris started to chase after Team Rocket as Meowth threw a smoke bomb at them, making them disappear in the smoke.

"Everyone all right?" Ash asked as the smoke cleared.

"Yeah, I think so. But those three got away." Dan said as Iris looked around.

"Wait where's Dark?" Iris asked as they looked around to see that Dark was nowhere to be found.

* * *

Team Rocket was now a good distance away from the spa/hotel as they stopped the vehicle.

"The dream of catching Pikachu comes true." Jessie said while they looked at the trapped Pokemon.

"And there's nothing like Oshawott, Sandile, Panpour, and Tepig as a bonus prize." Meowth happily added.

"So let's inform the boss right away." James said before they heard someone yelling as Panpour smirked at Team Rocket.

"What was that?" Jessie asked.

"(Oh you're in trouble now.)" Panpour said to Team Rocket as Meowth understood him.

"Hold on, what do you mean we're in trouble? Are you telling me that one of the twerps is still after us!?" Meowth yelled in shock.

"Hang on, I'll take a look." James said pulling out a pair of high-tech binoculars and looked behind them to see that Dark was running towards them scaring James when he saw Dark.

"What's the matter James?" Jessie asked.

"It's that same twerp from before, the one who freed Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew the last time!" James yelled scaring Jessie and Meowth as well.

"Oh no, not him, I still haven't recovered from that kick he gave me!" Meowth yelled.

"Quick, let's get outta here before he catches us!" Jessie yelled as James tried to drive away but the vehicle suddenly tipped a little.

"What's happening, why are we still here?" Jessie asked before they looked back to see that Dark was close now as he jumped from rock to rock until he landed on the back of the vehicle next to Meowth.

"The kid likes to jump." James commented.

"He's a hopper, I'll give him that, but that still doesn't explain why we're still here." Jessie said until they looked around to see a bunch of Sandile surrounding the vehicle.

"Maybe it's because of them." Dark said.

"Stay away from us, all of you! And you get off, I don't want to go down like this!" Meowth yelled trying to shoo the Sandile away.

"None of us do." James agreed.

"That's because you three haven't been good." Dark pointed out.

"Who are you, our conscience?" Jessie asked while glaring at Dark.

"(Troops, dig at the ground beneath you!)" Sunglasses Sandile yelled as the other Sandile began to dig away.

"What are they trying to do? Alright James let's get outta here." Jessie said.

"Right, I'll move fast to shake that twerp off." James said as they looked to see that Dark was not where they last saw him.

"Hey, where'd he go?" Meowth asked before they heard some grunting as they looked up to see Dark trying to break free the five captured Pokemon.

Jessie scoffed, "The twerp is nuts if he thinks he can break that."

"I don't know, he did break the glass with his head and he gave me a really good kick the last time." Meowth pointed out.

"This time's different, there's no way he can break steel like that." Jessie laughed but then they saw that the part of the vehicle began to bend shocking Team Rocket and the Pokemon, except for Panpour who smiled happily until the vehicle part snapped as Dark jumped off and grabbed the magnet and freed the five Pokemon as the Sandile began to rock the vehicle back and forth with their digging as Team Rocket jumped off before it was completely buried as they landed on one of the rocky walls as Sunglasses Sandile walked away still holding on to Pikachu and Oshawott while Dark, Panpour, and Tepig were confused as Sunglasses Sandile turned to Dark.

"(You, come with us.)" Sunglasses Sandile said before walking away as Dark decided to follow along with Panpour, Tepig, and the other Sandile.

"I'm afraid we have no choice but to retreat." James said as Jessie and Meowth nodded in agreement and left the area.

* * *

Dark, Panpour, and Tepig kept following the Sandile until they all stopped and Sunglasses Sandile finally let go of Pikachu and Oshawott.

"(Nothing against you or anything, but why did you take us away?)" Pikachu asked.

"Why are we all the way out here?" Dark asked before he saw a group of Deerling, Patrat, and Pidove in front of them as Sunglasses Sandile got up to a higher rock to look down at the Pokemon.

"(Listen up, all of you, we don't have much time, me and my fellow Sandile will take you all to a safe place from the geysers.)" Sunglasses Sandile announced to the Pokemon and Dark.

"Geysers?" Dark asked in confusion until some hot water squirted out from the ground scaring some of the Pokemon.

"(Calm down, everything's gonna be alright, we'll get you to safety.)" one of the Sandile followers calmly said as the Pokemon started to walk away with the Sandile following as more hot water shot out from various parts of the ground.

"What are they?" Dark asked in confusion.

"(They're called geysers, in other words boiling hot water that shoots out from underground.)" Panpour explained as the geysers kept shooting up and some of the hot water began to flow on the ground as a Deerling got scared.

"(It will be okay, trust me.)" Sunglasses Sandile assured as Deerling kept walking as Dark walked over to Sunglasses Sandile.

"So you were just trying to keep those Pokemon safe?" Dark asked as Sunglasses Sandile looked at Dark.

"(I'm trying to keep them safe from the geysers. I've tried to warn the humans in that hot sand spa, but they didn't listen to me or my troops. The boiling water from the geysers will hit that spa soon, that's why I keep coming back there to try and warn all those who come there.)" Sunglasses Sandile explained seriously.

"So that's why you grabbed Axew, you were trying to save him." Dark said in realization as Sunglasses Sandile looked surprised.

"(Uh, yes I was, but you understood me?)" Sunglasses Sandile asked in confusion as Dark happily nodded his head.

"I've been living in the forest with my mom and a bunch of other Pokemon there, they're really fun to play with, but I don't know how I can understand Pokemon though, I just do." Dark explained.

"(Wow, I didn't know he could do that.)" Oshawott whispered.

"(He just ripped a piece of Team Rocket's vehicle apart and THAT'S what surprises you?)" Pikachu whispered back.

"Hey Pikachu, Dark!" Dark, Panpour, Pikachu, Tepig, and Oshawott turned to see Ash running towards them as the Sandile turned to see him as well but the other Pokemon kept going before the place began to rumble as Dark and the Pokemon ran up to Ash while Iris and Dan were behind a rock.

"That sounds huge." Dan said before huge geysers erupted around the area as Iris and Dan ran over to Ash and Dark as they looked to see the Pidove, Patrat, and Deerling stuck on a floating rock surrounded by boiling water.

"They're surrounded by boiling water, now what do we do?" Iris asked worried about the Pokemon.

"It's gonna be trouble if another one blows." Dan said as another geyser blew.

"Alright." Ash said before running off to help as Pikachu tried to follow but was pushed back by Oshawott.

"(Oshawott!?)" Pikachu yelled.

"(It's boiling water, you wouldn't make it.)" Oshawott said as Dark understood and ran over to grab Ash by the back of his shirt and pull him back before he could hit the water.

"Ash you can't go through that, it's too hot." Dark said as Ash got up.

"But we've gotta do something to save them." Ash said.

"(Leave it to us.)" Sunglasses Sandile said as they looked to see him grab a rock with his jaws while the other Sandile followed and made a bridge of Sandile that lowered over to the Pokemon.

"Yeah, awesome, now everyone cross over the bridge!" Ash yelled but the Pokemon just stood there scared.

"What's the matter?" Iris asked.

"They're all scared." Dan said.

"You've gotta hurry and cross!" Ash yelled but the Pokemon still didn't move.

"Don't worry, I'll help them get across." Dark said before he ran on the Sandile bridge.

"Hey Dark, wait for me!" Ash yelled as he and Pikachu followed him to the other side.

"Come on, let's all get on the Sandile bridge and cross over it together." Ash said.

"(One at a time.)" Pikachu agreed.

"Don't worry, it's okay, the Sandile won't let you fall in." Dark assured as the Pokemon started to cross the Sandile bridge.

"Hurry, keep it up!" Iris yelled.

"There's not much time!" Dan yelled as the last of the Pokemon group crossed the Sandile bridge.

"Pikachu, why don't you go on ahead?" Ash asked as Pikachu crossed the Sandile bridge.

"Ash, we better hurry, I don't know if this rock can hold out much longer." Dark said as part of the rock underneath Sandile's feet began to break as Ash grabbed Sandile before it fell into the water.

"Oh no, Ash, Dark!" Iris yelled.

"(Ash, Dark!)" Pikachu yelled in concern.

"Sandile, hang on just a little longer!" Dark yelled putting his arms around Ash to help.

"(I'm trying!)" Sunglasses Sandile grunted.

"You can do it Sandile, just a little bit more!" Ash grunted before another geyser went off and the water was coming towards Ash and Dark.

"(Hang on, we're coming!)" Oshawott yelled running on the Sandile bridge with Panpour.

"(Together Oshawott!)" Panpour yelled before the two Water-Type Pokemon jumped off the bridge and countered the boiling water with their combined Water Gun until the geyser stopped.

"(Alright, props for Oshawott and Panpour!)" Oshawott yelled in triumph as Panpour looked down and got scared.

"(Yeah, but there's only one problem.)" Panpour said as Oshawott looked down before the two Water-Type Pokemon began to fall towards the boiling water.

"No, Oshawott!" Ash yelled.

"Panpour!" Dark yelled as Oshawott thought quickly, grabbed Panpour's tail and threw him towards Ash and Dark as Dark let go of Ash to catch Panpour.

"Oshawott return!" Ash yelled returning Oshawott to his Pokeball before he could hit the boiling water.

"Panpour, are you all right?" Dark asked.

"(Yeah, I am, thanks to Oshawott.)" Panpour sighed in relief.

"You did great Oshawott." Ash said as Dark saw that Ash was starting to lose his grip on Sandile.

"Ash you're slipping!" Dark yelled as Ash tried his best to keep holding on but he slipped and then another hand grabbed Ash's wrist as Ash, Dark, and Panpour looked to see Iris on the end of the Sandile bridge.

"That was pretty crazy you two." Iris said.

"I don't know, that was actually kinda fun." Dark said with a silly smile.

"Okay Sandile, give it just one more push!" Ash yelled as he put Oshawott's Pokeball away to grab Dark's wrist.

"(You got it!)" Sunglasses Sandile said before he used his power to lift up Ash, Dark, Panpour, Iris, and the other Sandile up to safety as the Sandile finally let go causing all those on the bridge to fall to the ground, but they were still smiling and Dark was happily giggling.

* * *

Soon, everyone, except for the Sandile, went back to the spa/hotel, only the spa was covered with hot water instead of hot sand as Ash, Dark, Iris, Pikachu, Oshawott, Panpour, and Axew were enjoying the nice hot water while Dan, his dad, and Tepig watched them enjoy themselves.

"Well son, what do you think of our brand new hot springs?" Dan's dad happily asked with his arms crossed.

"I'm sorry that the geysers caused us to lose our hot sand spa, but this is incredible." Dan said.

"(I'll say, this is great.)" Panpour said with a relaxing sigh.

"The water is awesome." Ash said as Dark nodded in agreement.

"(That's right.)" Pikachu agreed.

"Five stars without a doubt." Iris said as Axew and Oshawott happily agreed.

"Wow thanks." Dan said.

"We now have a brand new attraction." Dan's dad said.

"Yeah, there's nothing more relaxing than a hot spring." Ash happily said.

"Yeah." Iris agreed with a nod.

"It's almost like taking a bath." Dark said floating on his back along with Panpour, and Oshawott.

* * *

And so a big adventure for Dark, Ash, and Iris winds down with a little rest and relaxation. Soon they'll get back on the road to Striaton City and Ash and Dark's first Unova Gym battle, what will happen and who will they meet along the way? The journey continues next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	5. The Battle Club and Tepig's Choice!

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, after learning that Oshawott followed them from Professor Juniper's lab, Ash, Dark, and Iris decided to give her a call to let her know, and she decided to let Ash take care of Oshawott and send him the Pokeball. Soon they meet a friendly boy named Dan who tells them that his family spa/hotel is closed thanks to some Pokemon by the name of Sandile, but they were just trying to warn them about the geysers that would hit the spa. Now Ash, Dark, Iris, and their Pokemon are feeling refreshed and ready to get back on the road to Striaton City and Ash and Dark's first Unova Gym battle!

The Battle Club and Tepig's Choice!

Ash and Dark walked over the hill and Ash looked excited while Dark looked in awe.

"Alright, we're finally here! Striaton City!" Ash yelled in excitement.

"(Alright, Gym battle!)" Pikachu yelled in agreement.

"Is that what a city really looks like?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Of course silly, now come on, let's head over to the Striaton Gym!" Ash said before he began to run to the city until he stopped when someone called his name and he turned to see Iris standing next to Dark while shaking her head.

"I hate to burst your bubble Ash, but this is Accumula Town, Striaton City is the next town over." Iris said walking ahead shocking Ash and Pikachu.

"Wow, I didn't know that." Dark said with a shrug.

"Of course you and Ash wouldn't know that Dark, you're both kids." Iris said.

"Bummer, I was so excited to have a Gym battle." Ash said sounding a little down.

"Me too." Dark said in agreement as Iris turned to face the two trainers.

"Then why don't you two go to the Battle Club? That's where I'm going." Iris suggested confusing the two Pokemon Trainers.

"Pokemon Battle Club?" Dark asked in confusion.

"What's that?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Of course you two wouldn't know that either." Iris said as she lead Ash and Dark to Accumula Town.

* * *

As they tried to find the Pokemon Battle Club, Dark couldn't help but look around the buildings in awe as Panpour whistled in awe.

"Wow, so many buildings, there's more than I can even count, and I'm not very good at it." Dark said still looking around.

"Of course there's a lot of buildings here Dark, that's basically every town. Haven't you ever set foot in a town before?" Ash asked.

"I've never left my home in the forest before." Dark said as they kept walking until they finally reached a green building.

"Here it is guys, this is the Pokemon Battle Club." Iris said as they went in as Dark spotted a strange machine and got a closer look.

"Hey Iris, what's this thingy?" Dark asked pointing at the device he was looking at.

"That's the bulletin board. Each trainer enters their Pokemon's profile as well as the type of Pokemon they want to battle against. It's the perfect place for Pokemon Trainers to sharpen their skills as they see fit." Iris explained as Ash and Dark got all happy as did Pikachu and Panpour, but Dark and Panpour were more happy.

* * *

Ash, Dark, and Iris entered the battlefield just as a battle was about to take place between two trainers, one with a green snake-like Pokemon, and one with an otter-like Pokemon.

"Perfect timing, looks like they're about to start battling." Iris said.

"Alright!" Ash said happily.

"I wonder what Pokemon they're using?" Dark asked before he and Ash each got their Pokedex out to find out more.

"Servine, the Grass Snake Pokemon, and the evolved form of Snivy. Servine whips its opponents with vines, and dodges their attacks by hiding in the shadows of thick foliage." Ash's Pokedex explained while Ash was looking at Servine.

"Dewott, the Discipline Pokemon, and the evolved form of Oshawott. Through rigid training, Dewott uses the double-scalchop technique to accomplish its fluid swordsmanship." Dark's Pokedex explained while Dark looked at Dewott.

"Servine, use Leaf Blade!" Servine's trainer yelled as the tip of Servine's tail started to glow ready to attack.

"Dewott, use Water Gun!" Dewott's trainer yelled as Dewott fired some water from its mouth at Servine knocking it to the side of the arena.

"Okay, enough!" another man called it as Ash, Dark, and Iris saw that the man looked serious and had a thick mustache on his face.

"Take your Servine to be healed." the man said as Servine's trainer rushed over to the fallen Pokemon, picked it up, and rushed over to the nearest Pokemon Center.

"We'll take care of all your battle needs, I welcome you to the Pokemon Battle Club. My name is Don George and I'm the Battle Manager." the man now known as Don George said to Ash, Dark, and Iris.

"My name is Iris, I'd like to introduce you to Ash and Dark." Iris said introducing Ash and Dark.

"Iris just told us that anyone can have a battle here if they wanted to, is that true?" Dark asked getting excited.

"Right, that's correct." Don George said.

"Me and Dark are gonna challenge the Striaton Gym and we wanna be ready." Ash said as Pikachu and Panpour got on their trainer's shoulders.

"(Ready for anything!)" Pikachu and Panpour said with determination as Don George looked surprised to see Pikachu.

"Wow, a Pikachu, so rare to see one in the Unova Region." Don George said petting Pikachu.

"Ash and Pikachu came all the way from Pallet Town, I think he said it was from a far off Region of Kanto." Dark said happily as Don George saw Dark's tail wagging behind him.

"Interesting, in all my years as manager of the Pokemon Battle Club, I've never seen a Pokemon Trainer with a tail before." Don George said as Dewott's trainer approached the group.

"Excuse me, but is that Pikachu yours?" Dewott's trainer asked Ash who happily nodded his head.

"Would you like to have a battle with me?" Dewott's trainer asked.

"I was just looking for someone to battle with, you're on." Ash said getting pumped for a battle.

"You'll battle me next, right Ash?" Dark asked tugging on Ash's shirt.

"Sure thing." Ash said with a nod before he and Dewott's trainer entered the battlefield while Dark and Iris watched from Ash's side.

"That guy used a Dewott last time, so if he uses another Water-Type, an Electric-Type like Pikachu would have the advantage." Iris told Dark.

"He would?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Of course, didn't you know that before?" Iris asked as Dark and Panpour just blinked showing their confusion as Iris released a heavy sigh and said, "I have a feeling that I've got a lot to teach you when it comes to Pokemon."

"Ready Pikachu?" Ash asked as Pikachu got on to the field.

"(Ready Ash!)" Pikachu said before a light emerged from Ash's belt and Oshawott appeared next to Pikachu.

"(My time to shine.)" Oshawott said pumping the scalchop on his belly.

"Oshawott's out of his Pokeball?" Iris asked in shock.

"Cool, I didn't know Pokemon could do that." Dark said sounding really happy.

"Why did you come out on your own like that?" Ash asked Oshawott who turned to his trainer.

"(I'm ready for battle.)" Oshawott said pumping his scalchop again.

"(It's okay, I got this covered.)" Pikachu tried but Oshawott pushed him away and turned to the opponent.

"(Bring it on.)" Oshawott said.

"Dewott, let's go!" Dewott's trainer brought Dewott back out as Oshawott looked nervous before he glanced at Pikachu and turned him to face Dewott.

"(On second thought, I'll let you handle it for a little while.)" Oshawott said trying to get out of fighting his evolved form.

"Go figure." Iris said while sweat dropping as Dark tilted his head in confusion while Panpour smacked his forehead.

"Okay, now that that's settled, Oshawott, return." Ash said returning Oshawott to his Pokeball before he and Pikachu got ready for battle.

"Begin!" Don George yelled.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu fired a Thunderbolt towards Dewott.

"Dodge it Dewott!" Dewott's trainer yelled as Dewott quickly moved out of the way.

"Wow, that's fast." Iris commented.

"(Are you kidding me? You should see Dark run when you get the chance.)" Panpour said knowing his friend well.

"Iron Tail, let's go!" Ash yelled as Pikachu got a good hit to Dewott with his Iron Tail.

"Dewott, no!" Dewott's trainer said as Dewott slowly got back up.

"Now use Volt Tackle!" Ash yelled as Pikachu ran towards Dewott with his Volt Tackle ready.

"Dodge it!" Dewott's trainer yelled as Dewott got out of the way, but Pikachu kept going and slammed into the wall.

"Alright, Razor Shell!" Dewott's trainer yelled as Dewott grabbed his two scalchops in each hand as they both glowed and slashed Pikachu with what looked like two swords of water.

"Pikachu!" Ash and Dark yelled in concern then an alarm went off pausing the battle.

"What's that?" Dark asked while covering his ears as three workers entered the field.

"Battle manager sir, it's the emergency alarm!" the worker in the center said.

"Something's in the storage room!" the worker on the left said.

"Probably that mysterious Pokemon." the worker on the right said as Don George turned to Ash and his challenger.

"We'll have to suspend your battle for now." Don George said before he walked over to the three workers.

"Oh man, a mystery Pokemon?" Ash asked as Dark and Iris stood next to him.

"How cool is that?" Iris asked excitedly.

"Let's go check it out guys." Dark suggested.

"Good idea./Right." Ash and Iris said before the three of them and their Pokemon followed Don George and the workers to the storage room.

* * *

Once they made it to the storage room, they were checking everywhere inside.

"It doesn't look like much was stolen." the first worker said as they looked at the camera on the side of the storage room.

"The security camera must have recorded something, let's review it." Don George said.

"Sir!" the three workers said at the same time.

* * *

Axew popped out of Iris' hair while they were looking over what was caught on the security camera.

"So what's going on?" Dark asked scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"The food in the storage room has been stolen a lot lately and there have been unknown Pokemon sightings too. So we thought it might be best to set up this security system to get to the bottom of all this." Don George explained.

"Awesome, if it's a new kind of Pokemon I want to catch it!" Ash said in excitement.

"Wait a minute Ash, you've already caught a Pokemon before and I never had a chance to catch one myself, I think I should catch it myself." Dark pointed out.

"Such a couple of kids, you can't find a new Pokemon that easily." Iris said with her doubts.

"You're right." Ash said sounding disappointed.

"Oh well, maybe next time." Dark shrugged.

"But at the same time, that's why it's so exciting." Don George said making Ash and Dark happy again.

"Battle manger sir? We're ready to go." the first worker said.

"Good, now let's just see what went on." Don George said as the worker played what the security camera recorded showing a black blur zoom out of the storage room.

"What's that?" the video now shows Jessie, James, and Meowth coming out as the alarm went off.

"Time for a quick escape." James said before the three of them left the video range.

"Two people?" the first worker asked.

"Hey Ash, aren't those the three from Team Rocket?" Dark asked.

"That's them alright." Ash answered.

"(I should've guessed.)" Pikachu said with an annoyed expression.

"Team Rocket?" Don George asked in confusion.

"They're a bunch of bad guys who steal Pokemon from people." Ash explained.

"Not them again." Iris said sounding annoyed.

"(I'm with you.)" Panpour said sounding just as annoyed.

"Well, the security camera caught more than those guys." Don George said confusing the others.

"I'd like you to play that part of the security tape once more." Don George told the first worker who nodded and rewound the tape to the mysterious blur then played it in slow motion and paused it so they could have a better look at this blur.

"A shadow?" Dark asked.

"Dark and skinny, what kind of Pokemon is that?" Iris asked as Ash pulled his Pokedex out to find out more until he found something he was looking for and held it up to the others.

"Looks to me like this Pokemon." Ash said as the Pokedex showed some black Pokemon with some yellow rings on its body.

"Umbreon, the Moonlight Pokemon, and an evolved form of Eevee. The rings of Umbreon's body glow faintly when exposed to the moon's aura, and it gains a mysterious power." the Pokedex explained as Iris looked happy when she saw the picture while Dark just looked confused.

"Wow, that's so cool." Iris said in awe.

"But Umbreon don't normally live in the Unova Region, if we discovered one it would be a huge find." Don George said in realization.

* * *

Ash, Dark, Iris, Don George, and the workers got outside of the Battle Club.

"Alright, let's keep our eyes open and find Umbreon." Don George said.

"Sir!" the three workers said before they split up to find what they think might be a Pokemon named Umbreon.

"Guys, what do you say we help them out?" Iris asked Ash and Dark.

"Sure, let's go./Okay." Ash and Dark said before they got to work finding what they think might be Umbreon.

* * *

Ash, Dark, Iris, and the Pokemon went back to the storage room and left bowls of Pokemon food as a trail for what they think is Umbreon.

"That should do it." Iris said laying one more bowl of Pokemon food down as Ash and Dark stood in front of the entrance.

"Hey Iris, me and Dark finished setting up the Pokemon food!" Ash called.

"Now what do we do?" Dark asked before Iris shushed them.

"I think the best thing to do is split up so we can keep a sharp eye on this place. See, Umbreon's gotta be hungry, so it'll fall for this. I'll be watching from over there. Now, if either one of you see Umbreon, let me know. I'm planning to catch it if you two don't mind." Iris explained before she left.

"Of course, she would say that." Ash said.

"(You're right.)" Pikachu agreed.

"Well Don George said that Umbreon don't normally live in Unova, but I don't know about this. What if it isn't Umbreon?" Dark asked having his doubts as Oshawott came out of his Pokeball again.

"What now Oshawott?" Ash asked as Oshawott turned to Ash.

"(I'm ready to help this time, let me help.)" Oshawott said.

"You want to help too Oshawott? Good Idea, I think I'll call for some more help myself. Help us out Tepig." Dark said bringing Tepig out to help.

"(Hey, what do you need?)" Tepig happily asked.

"Alright, now you four guard this area, okay?" Ash asked Pikachu, Oshawott, Panpour, and Tepig.

"(Yes sir!)" the four Pokemon saluted.

"While you're doing that, Dark and I are gonna get more Pokemon food, we'll be right back." Ash said before running off with Dark to find more Pokemon food.

"(You can count on us.)" Tepig said.

"(I just hope that Dark doesn't do a taste test on the Pokemon food they find.)" Panpour sighed as Oshawott turned his attention to one of the bowls.

"(Why would he do that? It's for Pokemon, and I don't think Dark would enjoy that.)" Pikachu said not one of them paying attention to Oshawott.

"(You guys don't know Dark like I do, He eats a lot and he'll eat just about anything. Some Pokemon back home even called him a human Tepig one time. No offense Tepig.)" Panpour said the last part quickly remembering that Tepig was with them.

"(None taken. So what are we trying to guard this place from?)" Tepig asked.

"(Ash thought it was a Pokemon named Umbreon so we're...)" Panpour stopped when he realized that they're one Pokemon short.

"(Wait a minute, where's Oshawott?)" Panpour asked as they looked around until they heard something behind them.

"(Yummy, that's good!)" they saw Oshawott with a big smile on his face as he began to eat Pokemon food from one of the bowls as Pikachu and Panpour rushed over to stop him.

"(Oshawott, what are you doing!? We need that to lure Umbreon here!)" Pikachu yelled while trying to get Oshawott to stop along with Panpour.

"(Yeah, you can't have a trap without bait, so paws off!)" Panpour agreed.

"(Get off of me!)" Oshawott yelled pushing Pikachu and Panpour off of him as they fell towards some boxes and then got hit in the head many times by the boxes that fell on top of them, luckily they were empty as Tepig ran over to check on them.

"(Are you guys okay?)" Tepig asked.

"(That depends, is the hurting over?)" Panpour asked before a pan hit him and Pikachu on the head, knocking them out before they got covered in a big box as Oshawott sat down and happily ate the Pokemon food as Tepig turned his attention to Oshawott.

"(Why are we best friends again?)" Tepig asked with a dull expression.

"(Because I can make anyone's life interesting.)" Oshawott happily answered while eating.

"(So can my trainer. Look, instead of stuffing your face, why don't you help me keep watch for Umbreon?)" Tepig asked but Oshawott wouldn't move from his spot.

"(Busy, I'll catch up with you later.)" Oshawott said with his mouth full as Tepig looked annoyed.

"(Look, I'll go out and keep a lookout from the outside, do me a favor and keep watch from in here okay?)" Tepig asked as Oshawott just nodded his head.

"(Good, and while you're at it, get Pikachu and Panpour out of there once you're done.)" Tepig said before he ran outside while Oshawott kept eating happily.

"(Man Tepig's missing out, this stuff is DEE-licious!)" Oshawott said happily.

* * *

Ash and Dark were hiding in the bushes with more bowls of Pokemon food laid out waiting for Umbreon then they saw someone getting closer to one of the bowls.

"Yes, it's about time Umbreon showed up." Ash whispered getting a Pokeball ready as Dark got a closer look at the Pokemon.

"Ash wait, there's something familiar about that Pokemon, look carefully." Dark whispered as Ash looked carefully as the Pokemon spotted them and they saw that it was a dirty and skinny Tepig as Dark pulled his Pokedex out.

"Hold on, that's not Umbreon." Ash said as Dark looked it up.

"Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokemon. Normally, fire shoots out of Tepig's snout, but it shoots out smoke instead when it is feeling ill." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away.

"Tepig? But that one looks different from mine." Dark pointed out.

"You're right, it's so skinny and dirty, no wonder we thought it was Umbreon." Ash said as they saw the dirty Tepig trying to eat but it couldn't for some reason.

"Look Ash, someone tied up that Tepig's mouth, so that it can't eat." Dark said as Ash nodded and stepped out of the bushes while Dark followed as Tepig slowly backed away before Iris came out of nowhere.

"Ash, Dark, what are you two doing?" Iris asked as Tepig walked away fast.

"Iris, we've figured out who the mystery Pokemon is, follow us." Dark said as the three trainers followed after the skinny Tepig.

"Slow down, I want to catch it!" Iris yelled as the Tepig walked over to a dead end as Ash, Dark, and Iris finally caught up to it as Ash approached it slowly and carefully.

"It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you, really." Ash said calmly before picking up Tepig.

"See? You don't have to be scared." Ash said but the Tepig flailed in Ash's arms but then he blew smoke from his snout at Ash making him cough a little.

"Told ya, I won't hurt you." Ash said as the Tepig calmed down.

"I bet you'd love to eat some yummy Pokemon food, right?" Ash asked as Tepig nodded and Dark and Iris walked over.

"Don't worry, I'll get this off." Ash said trying to free Tepig's mouth.

"Be gentle, it looks pretty tight." Iris warned gently.

"It is. Oh man, who would do such a terrible thing?" Ash asked.

"I'm with you Ash, this is not the way to treat a Pokemon." Dark said as Iris looked at both of them.

* * *

Later Ash freed Tepig's mouth from the rope while Dark cleaned him up and Iris brought some Pokemon food for Tepig.

"There you go." Iris said placing the bowl down as Ash helped Dark clean Tepig.

"There, now you eat up." Ash said as Tepig wasted no time in chowing down.

"Thank goodness." Iris said in relief while Ash placed his hand on Tepig's back.

"You must've been really hungry Tepig." Dark said giving Tepig a gentle pat as well as Iris looked at them again.

Ash laughed, "Hey, don't eat it too fast, slow is the way to go."

"You know that's what Panpour keeps telling me." Dark said as Iris smiled at the two of them, then Dark stood up for some reason and walked ahead.

"Where are you going?" Iris asked Dark who turned to face his friends.

"I'm gonna go tell Don George and the other three that the mysterious Pokemon we saw was Tepig and not Umbreon. Don't worry, I'll be back." Dark said with a smile before he ran off to find Don George.

* * *

While Dark was running to find Don George, he ran into his own Tepig.

"Tepig, what are you doing here?" Dark asked in confusion.

"(I'm keeping watch for the mysterious Pokemon.)" Tepig answered looking around.

"You don't have to do that anymore, me, Ash, and Iris already caught the mysterious Pokemon." Dark said before they saw Don George and his three workers chasing after what looks like a black Pokemon with yellow rings.

"(If you caught the mysterious Pokemon, then who's that?)" Tepig asked.

"I don't know, come on we're going after them." Dark said grabbing Tepig and running off to join Don George in the chase until they got the Pokemon cornered as Dark looked at the Pokemon closely and thought it looked familiar.

"I know I've seen something like that before, but where?" Dark thought before he and Tepig heard someone crying as they looked over to see that it was Don George and his workers shedding tears with their arms around each other.

"To think we've found the very first Umbreon ever to be discovered in the Unova Region! I'll never forget this moment!" Don George cried.

"Sir, this discovery will go down in history!" the first worker cried.

"If we catch that Umbreon, we'll be written down in the books!" the second worker cried.

"Go ahead and catch it manager!" the third worker cried while Dark and Tepig looked confused then they turned their attention to what they thought was Umbreon.

The Pokemon sighed, "They're so happy, and now they're leading me on a serious guilt trip because I'm leading them on like this."

"Wait a minute, you talked? Let me see." Dark said carefully while he pulled out his Pokedex for more info.

"Meowth, the Scratch Cat Pokemon. It is nocturnal in nature. If it spots something shiny, its eyes glitter brightly." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away as the Pokemon now known as Meowth walked over to Don George and the three workers.

"(I should've known.)" Tepig sighed.

"Excuse me, I'd hate to take the wind out of your sails, but I'm not Umbreon." Meowth said surprising Don George and the workers while Dark and Tepig kept their guard up.

"What do you mean?" Don George asked as Meowth cleaned off his charm.

"See my charm? That means I'm just a normal Meowth passing by." Meowth said.

"Meowth, what are you doing here?" Dark asked while in a fighting position with Tepig as Meowth got scared.

"Oh, uh, hey there, how have you been? Keeping that tail of yours nice?" Meowth asked nervously before he realized something and he looked shocked as he looked at Dark's tail and asked with a shaky voice, "N-No way, Y-You h-have a t-t-t-tail!?"

"(And you've just found that out?)" Tepig asked with a dull expression.

"Hold on, let me get this straight, that's just a talking Meowth?" Don George asked.

"Yes, he's part of Team Rocket. He probably painted himself to look like Umbreon to lure us away from the Battle Club so that the other two could go in and steal what was in the storage room." Dark explained.

"He's strong and he has a tail? I hope you guys have a nice day now, see ya." Meowth said before running away as fast as his paws could carry him.

"You're not getting away from me Meowth! Come on Tepig!" Dark said before he and Tepig ran after Meowth.

"Go away! Can't you leave a Meowth alone to run in peace!?" Meowth yelled running faster as Dark ran faster as did Tepig before he stopped.

"(I've gotta get help, I need to go back to the others.)" Tepig said before running back to the storage room.

* * *

When Tepig made it back to the storage room, he saw empty bowls on the floor, Oshawott was taking a nap, and he guessed that Pikachu and Panpour were still in the box.

"(You've gotta be kidding me.)" Tepig said annoyed before he ran over to Oshawott to try and slap him awake but then he heard something and hid behind a box with Oshawott as he looked to see Jessie and James trying to get into the storage room.

"Good there's no one here." Jessie said.

"Cutting the alarm system wires helped." James said.

"James, I'll stay here and keep watch." Jessie said as James nodded and went inside to find something only to find empty boxes.

"What about these? Just some Pokemon food." James said after looking through some more boxes until he spotted a big one on the ground.

"Aha!" James said lifting the box to reveal Pikachu and Panpour still knocked out as Oshawott woke up and Jessie looked inside.

"(What happened?)" Oshawott asked before Tepig shushed him and pointed at the two members of Team Rocket as Oshawott quickly got behind Tepig.

"What happened?" Jessie asked.

"It's Pikachu and there's a Panpour with him." James said as Jessie got a better look.

Jessie smirked, "There's no doubt about it, these two belong to the twerps."

"But what in the world were they doing inside a box?" James asked with his hand on his chin.

"It doesn't matter, but catching Pikachu does, and Panpour will be a nice bonus. Just think of how pleased the boss will be with our hard work." Jessie said as James nodded his head while Tepig and Oshawott heard everything and nodded at each other.

* * *

Soon Tepig and Oshawott were following Jessie and James who now had Pikachu and Panpour in a sack, that's when they saw Ash, Iris, Don George, and the three workers.

"It's the twerps!" Jessie exclaimed.

"You're right, but where's that other twerp?" James asked talking about Dark who was nowhere to be seen in the group.

"Not you guys again." Iris said.

"What bad stuff are you up to this time?" Ash asked in anger.

"You and your assumptions." James said before he and Jessie ran away again as Tepig and Oshawott came out of their hiding spot.

"(Ash, Iris, stop them!)" Oshawott yelled.

"(They've got Pikachu and Panpour!)" Tepig yelled.

"What's going on with you two?" Ash asked before they heard something in the sack.

"(Ash, is that you!?)" Ash knew the voice right away.

"That voice, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"(Get us out of here!)" another voice in the sack yelled.

"And that sounded like Panpour!" Iris yelled then they heard someone else scream as they turned to see Meowth clean of the remaining paint he had on him as he ran over to Jessie and James then they saw Dark who stopped next to Ash and Iris.

"I'm not letting you get away like last time!" Dark yelled.

"For crying out loud twerp... don't you... ever... give up?" Meowth panted from all the running.

"Meowth what happened to you?" James asked.

"You want to know what happened, he happened! I was trying to give those other four the slip, but he was right on my tail!" Meowth yelled while pointing at Dark.

"(Ash, Iris, Dark!)" Pikachu's voice yelled from the sack.

"(Get us out of here guys!)" Panpour's voice yelled from the sack making Dark glare at Team Rocket.

"I should've known you three would do something like this!" Dark growled.

"Guys, let's forget about doing a motto and just get out of here while we still have a chance?" Meowth asked hopefully.

"Good thinking." James agreed.

"Give us back Pikachu and Panpour!" Ash yelled.

"Ha! Not after you left them in a box." James scoffed.

"How could you two abandon your Pokemon? We just saved Pikachu and Panpour from harm, from a couple of traitors of the lowest quarter." Jessie said.

"Which means they'll be safe with Team Rocket from traitors like you." James said.

"You're wrong, I would never abandon Panpour, he's not just my first Pokemon, he's my best friend! And I know that Ash wouldn't abandon Pikachu either!" Dark yelled.

"You've got that right Dark! Oshawott, use Water Gun!" Ash yelled while holding the Tepig from before, who is looking much better now, in his arms as Oshawott fired his Water Gun at Team Rocket, who put a protective barrier around themselves before they could get hit and then floated to the sky.

"Hey, come back here with Panpour and Pikachu!" Dark yelled running after them with Ash who still had the Tepig from before in his arm and his own Tepig, but Ash slipped on the leftover water from Water Gun as the Tepig got out of Ash's arms to stand next to Dark's Tepig.

"You want to help out?" Ash asked as both Tepig looked at each other and nodded their heads as did Ash and Dark.

"Alright, Tepig, use Ember!" Ash and Dark yelled at the same time as the two Tepig ran, jumped up and then unleashed a combined Ember attack on Team Rocket, destroying their get-away device and freeing Pikachu and Panpour who were now falling from the sky.

"Oh no, Pikachu, Panpour!" Ash yelled before he and Dark ran forward as they caught their Pokemon safely in their arms.

"Pikachu." Ash said hugging his pal.

"Thank goodness you're alright." Dark said as he and Panpour hugged each other as well then Ash and Dark saw Team Rocket get away again.

"Team Rocket really burns me up!" Ash growled.

"At least Panpour and Pikachu are safe." Dark said happily as the Tepig from before walked up to them while Dark's Tepig stood next to Dark.

"Hey, you're looking much better." Dark said with a smile as the Tepig nodded his head.

"Tepig, thanks a lot, you two helped saved Pikachu and Panpour." Ash said as the two Tepig nodded their heads as Iris and Oshawott walked over to them.

"I've gotta say Tepig, you're a cutie. You know what, I think I'd like to catch you." Iris said but Tepig shook his head before he looked at Ash while wagging his tail as Don George and the workers approached them.

Don George laughed, "It appears that Tepig chooses Ash to be its trainer. After all it's been through, Tepig knows a good trainer when it sees it. Raise Tepig well Ash."

"Good idea, that way the two of us will each have a Tepig." Dark said happily with his Tepig nodding in agreement.

"So Tepig, you want to come with me?" Ash asked as the other Tepig nodded his head happily before Ash stood up and got a Pokeball ready as he yelled, "Pokeball, let's go!"

The wild Tepig let the Pokeball hit him as he went in, and then after a couple of shakes and one final click, Ash now has a Tepig of his own as Ash happily picked up the Pokeball.

"Alright, I caught a Tepig!" Ash yelled happily with Pikachu and Oshawott joining in the celebration.

"Well Ash, let's both challenge the Striaton Gym, with your new friend by your side!" Dark said happily as Ash and their Pokemon nodded in agreement.

"(Well I'm glad that's over.)" Oshawott sighed before he felt something on his tail as he turned to see Dark's Tepig with his paw on Oshawott's tail while glaring at the Sea Otter Pokemon.

"(Oh you're not getting off the hook that easily this time.)" Dark's Tepig smirked while Oshawott was laughing nervously now.

* * *

And so, Ash and Dark's plan to challenge the Striaton Gym take an unexpected twist now that Ash has added his own Tepig to his team, but how will that affect the type of strategy Ash will use in his Gym battle? What strategy will Dark use for his Gym battle? Stay tuned for the answers in the next blazing chapter of Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	6. Triple Gym Leaders, Team Threats

Last time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, Ash, Dark, and Iris arrived in Accumula Town and visited the Pokemon Battle Club. Soon they helped Don George out in finding the mysterious Pokemon that Ash thought was Umbreon, but it turned out to be a poor Tepig, who was once abandoned by his previous trainer and left behind at the Battle Club. After another encounter with Team Rocket, Ash decided to take Tepig along with him as his own Pokemon. Now Ash and Dark are ready to take on the Striaton Gym and win their first Unova Region Gym badge!

Triple Gym Leaders, Team Threats

Ash and Dark were now looking down another city after they and Iris left Accumula Town.

"Alright, we're finally here! Striaton City, now we can get our first badge!" Ash yelled in excitement.

"I can't wait!" Dark agreed with his tail wagging a lot.

"Well what are we waiting for, let's go!" Ash yelled before he and Dark ran off to Striaton City with their Pokemon not far behind.

* * *

Ash and Dark were walking in Striaton City getting excited about their first Gym battle with their Pokemon on their shoulders.

"I wonder what the Gym Leader will be like? What kind of Pokemon he'll use? It doesn't matter, I can't wait!" Ash said still excited.

"(I'm ready for that battle!)" Pikachu yelled getting just as excited then Iris popped up behind Ash and Dark with a smug look on her face.

"So where IS the Gym?" Iris asked as Ash and Dark looked around to find the Gym.

"Uh..." Ash said sweating nervously as Panpour smacked his forehead in annoyance.

"(Guys, you can't just go wandering around just to find a Gym, at this rate we'll be going in circles just to find it!)" Panpour yelled.

"(He's right, you need to know where you're going.)" Axew agreed but then another voice was heard.

"An Axew and a Panpour." Ash, Dark, and Iris turned around to see an older looking boy walking their way, he was taller than Ash, Dark, and Iris and had green hair and eyes, they saw that he was wearing brown shoes, black pants, a white shirt, a black sleeveless vest on top of it, and a green bow tie, he was also carrying a grocery bag filled with food as Dark was drooling after seeing the grocery bag as the older boy looked over Axew and Panpour.

The older boy ran a hand on Axew's head before he pulled it back as he said, "Skin as smooth as grass, and fresh tusks like newly sprouted buds. The identical partner for a girl such as you who is in tune with nature."

"Thank you." Iris said looking impressed.

"(Yeah, thanks.)" Axew said happy about the comments as the boy looked over Panpour next while petting him.

"Well I'll be, in all my years, I've never seen quite a Panpour like this, it's head tuft as pleasant as fine water, and with arms even stronger than the toughest boulder. No doubt the perfect partner for a strong and fine young man like yourself." the boy commented to Dark and Panpour.

"(Wow, I'm beginning to like this guy already.)" Panpour said with a smile.

"Thank you, Panpour and me have been together for years, my mom gave him to me as a birthday present." Dark said with his goofy smile as Ash and Pikachu were confused as the boy noticed Pikachu.

"Wow, a Pikachu!" the boy said with sparkles in his eyes as he took Pikachu off Ash's shoulder to inspect him from all angles.

"Such a rare Pokemon, like a rare ingredient. This is the first time I've seen a Pikachu up close. Hello there." the boy said to Pikachu.

"(Uh, hi there?)" Pikachu said nervously before the boy gave Pikachu back to Ash.

"You have a rare Pokemon there." the boy said to Ash.

"Not really, we're from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, Pikachu are pretty common in that Region. I'm Ash and Pikachu is my best buddy!" Ash said as Pikachu waved his paw.

"My name is Dark, I'm from the forest near Nuvema Town. This is Iris and you've already met Panpour and Axew." Dark introduced happily.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Cilan, and I'm a Pokemon Connoisseur." Cilan said with a bow.

"Pokemon Connoisseur?" Ash asked in confusion.

"What's that?" Dark asked in confusion scratching his head with his tail.

"Don't know that either, what a couple of little kids." Iris shrugged making Ash glare at her and he was about to argue with that but Cilan stepped up.

"Not surprising at all. Pokemon Connoisseurs are not that well known outside of Unova. I use my knowledge in order to judge the capability between a trainer and his or her Pokemon, then I help them grow a better bond if need be. That's a Pokemon Connoisseur's job in a tasty nutshell." Cilan explained as Ash and Dark nodded.

"So what about Pikachu and me? I bet you'll say that we're a perfect pair." Ash said eager to have his bond with Pikachu judged by Cilan, but then Iris stepped in.

"What are you doing? I thought you and Dark wanted to have a Gym battle." Iris reminded Ash and Dark who were excited about the battle again.

"You're right, but we don't know where it is." Dark pointed out.

"If you like, I can take you there." Cilan offered.

"You can?" Ash asked eagerly.

"Of course, follow me." Cilan said before the four of them began to walk over to find the Gym.

* * *

Later, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were now in front of a big building which looked like a small Colosseum.

"Here we are!" Cilan said while pointing his hand at the Striaton Gym.

"Alright, the Striaton Gym, we're finally here!" Dark said happily.

"(Time for that Gym battle!)" Pikachu and Panpour yelled happily.

"Come on Dark, let's go in!" Ash yelled before he grabbed Dark's hand and they ran over to the front door.

"Let's battle!" Ash yelled as he and Dark entered the Gym, only to be met with stares of many people who were sitting down on tables having some food.

"Is this what a Gym is suppose to look like?" Dark asked in confusion as Iris and Cilan caught up to them.

"This is a Gym?" Iris asked in confusion as a waiter walked up to them, he looked like Cilan only his hair, eyes, and bow tie are red and his hair looked like soft fire, he wore the same thing as Cilan, only with an apron and he held a towel on his arm.

"Hi, and welcome to our diner." the red haired waiter said.

Then another waiter just the same, only with smooth blue hair and blue eyes, came up to them as well and said, "Welcome."

"(Okay, what's going on here?)" Panpour asked while Ash and Dark tilted their heads before they each felt a hand on their shoulders as they looked up at Cilan.

"Please, come on in." Cilan said pushing Ash and Dark towards a table as he and the blue haired waiter pushed them lightly into a chair as Ash and Dark accepted while Iris sat down at the same table.

"So, what would you like?" the red haired waiter asked Ash and Dark.

"How about a nice beverage to quench your thirst?" the blue haired waiter offered coming next to Ash and Dark as well.

"Not really." Ash said while sweat dropping but Dark was thinking differently.

"Well, if you change your mind, I recommend the Soda Pop, it's very nice and made here." the blue haired waiter said.

"No thanks, I'm not thirsty." Ash said before the red haired waiter showed Ash and Dark the menu.

"How about our lunch menu? Can I interest you in our specials today?" the red haired waiter asked while Dark began to drool a little as he looked at the menu.

"I'm not hungry either." Ash said.

"(Yeah, we just ate before we left Accumula Town.)" Pikachu said trying to get out of the situation as well as the waiters kept describing different drinks and foods on the menu while Ash, Dark, and Iris didn't hear what the other customers were whispering about at different tables.

"(Man, all this looks too good to pass up.)" Panpour said before he saw Dark drooling some more as Ash started to twitch at the many offers that the waiters threw out until he couldn't take it anymore as he yelled and slammed his hands on the table.

"ME AND DARK JUST WANT A GYM BATTLE!" Ash shouted as everyone in the diner stopped to look at him.

"Gym battle!?" all the other customers asked in shock.

"That's right, I thought that this is the Striaton Gym, but I guess I was wrong. It's time for us to leave, let's go Pikachu." Ash said before standing up with Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Ash can't we at least stay for lunch? I'm hungry." Dark said but Ash just stepped away from the table.

"You can stay if you want Dark, but I'm out of here." Ash said getting ready to leave until...

"Just a minute Ash." Cilan's voice stopped him as the lights went off.

"What the?" Ash asked as Dark stood up and walked next to Ash as they both turned around to see a spotlight on Cilan.

"Alright, Ash, Dark, your request is granted!" Cilan said pointing at them making other customers gasp.

"Two challengers huh?" a second spotlight was on the red haired waiter who continued with, "Then your challenge will be welcomed with the pleasantness and the warmth of a relaxing massage."

"What a dreamboat!" Dark heard some females cry out before a third spotlight was on the blue haired waiter.

"No, we should be cool, like a fresh glass of chilled water." the blue haired waiter said making some more females cry out in cheers.

"Pikachu, please tell me we didn't hear all that." Ash said as they stared at the three in front of them.

"(I wish I could buddy.)" Pikachu said.

"What just happened?" Dark asked in confusion.

"(I wish I knew.)" Panpour sighed.

"This is the Striaton Gym." Cilan began.

"And the three of us-" the red haired waiter continued.

"Are triplet brothers." the blue haired waiter finished.

"And we are the Gym Leaders." the triplets said at the same time.

"Triplet brothers are the Gym Leaders?" Iris asked in confusion.

"Well then, let's get this battle started." the triplet Gym Leaders said in unison before the wall behind them parted filling the room with a bright light.

* * *

When the light died down, Ash and Dark saw a rocky battlefield underneath the pen roof of the Gym, they also saw some grandstands for an audience as they saw some cheerleaders coming out as well as Iris and Axew who went over to the other side to watch Ash and Dark battle before the two of them looked at the triplets in front of them.

"Now it's time for you two to choose your opponents." Cilan said confusing Ash and Dark.

"We get to choose who we battle against?" Dark asked in confusion.

"You each have three choices, me, Chili *points at the red haired waiter* or Cress. *points at the blue haired waiter* Who you two want to battle is up to you. If you two win against the Gym Leader of your choice, you'll each earn the Trio Badge." Cilan explained.

"Time to meet our Pokemon, let's get this fire started!" Chili yelled before he threw a Pokeball into the air and out of it popped out a red monkey Pokemon that looked kinda like Panpour, only different a little.

"Indeed, let's make a splash!" Cress yelled tossing his Pokeball in the air and out came another Panpour.

"Now, let me introduce you to my partner!" Cilan yelled as he released his Pokemon that was like Panpour in a way, except he was green and had a bushy leaf on his head.

"Wow, they look so cool." Dark said in awe.

"(They look like... me?)" Panpour asked in confusion.

"Let's see what the Pokedex says about them." Ash said while pointing his Pokedex at the red monkey Pokemon first.

"Pansear, the High Temp Pokemon. Pansear lives in caves near volcanoes. The temperature on the tuft on its head can reach 600 degrees when it's angry. Pansage, the Grass Monkey Pokemon. Pansage offers leaves on its head to Pokemon that have low energy. The leaves relieve stress. Panpour, the Spray Pokemon. Panpour lived in forests long ago, but developed a body that makes it easy to live near water. It can store water in the tufts on its head." the Pokedex explained the three monkey Pokemon in front of them before Ash put it away.

"(Wow, it's nice to meet a fellow Panpour.)" Dark's Panpour waved.

"Fire, Grass, or Water?" Ash asked.

"They all look so tough." Dark said as they looked at the three Pokemon in front of them.

"So Ash, Dark, will one of you battle me?" Cilan asked as the Gym Leaders appeared behind their Pokemon.

"I have to say, I would be honored to have a battle with a trainer like one of you." Chili said.

"I wouldn't mind if either one of you two were to choose me as your opponent." Cress calmly said, but then he, Chili, and Cilan got confused when Ash smiled at them as Dark wagged his tail with his own silly smile.

"Well actually I want to battle all of you." Ash said shocking the others.

"Yeah, so do I." Dark said shocking the others even further.

"All three?" Iris asked sounding surprised.

"(Can they do that?)" Axew asked sounding just as surprised.

"It's my first time visiting the Unova Region and I want to see how the Pokemon here battle." Ash explained.

"And this is my first Gym battle anywhere, and I want to see how strong your Panpour, Pansear, and Pansage are and to test the true strength of my own Pokemon." Dark explained.

"Please say yes." Ash and Dark said bowing down.

"Well, this is a new, no one has ever decided to challenge all three of us. What should we do?" Cilan asked Chili.

"The idea is intriguing to me, I don't mind at all." Chili said as Cilan turned to Cress.

"How about we start a new rule that follows this condition? Trainers have to beat two of us to earn the win. And if there are more than one challenger and there's one victory and one loss, the final battle will be decided with a Tag-Battle between two of us and the two challengers." Cress explained as Cilan nodded and turned his attention back to Ash and Dark.

"Well, what do you two think?" Cilan asked as Ash and Dark grinned.

"You're on!" Ash and Dark said at the same time.

"(Bring it on!)" Pikachu and Dark's Panpour said in unison.

"Go ahead Ash, you go first." Dark offered making Ash more excited.

"Alright, thanks Dark." Ash said patting Dark on the back before he got ready.

* * *

Soon Ash and Chili were on opposite sides of the battlefield with Pansear taking his spot on the field while the others watched and Cilan acted as the referee.

"First you'll battle me, I have to say I'm looking forward to this." Chili said as Ash nodded.

"For the first battle, Ash the challenger will be battling Chili. Each trainer will use one Pokemon, the match is over when one Pokemon is unable to battle." Cilan explained as both Ash and Chili nodded their heads while Chili got support from the cheerleaders next to Iris.

"You better get ready for a hot and spicy battle Ash!" Chili said while pointing at Ash.

"Of course, show me what you've got!" Ash replied with a grin.

"Alright, begin!" Cilan said as Ash pulled a Pokeball from his belt.

"Tepig, I choose you!" Ash threw the Pokeball and out came his Tepig who blew some flames from his snout in excitement.

"Huh, why is he using Tepig? Wouldn't it be easier to use Oshawott? He's a Water-Type, and they have the advantage over Fire-Type Pokemon like Pansear." Iris said from the stands.

"I promised that I'd use Tepig in my first battle at the Striaton Gym, so let's go Tepig!" Ash said earning a nod from Tepig.

Chili smirked, "It takes guts to challenge a Fire-Type Gym Leader like me with a Fire-Type Pokemon. Let's go Pansear!"

"Tepig, use Tackle!" Ash commanded as Tepig charged towards Pansear and hit it with Tackle.

"Good one, but try this one. Pansear, Fire Punch!" Chili yelled as Pansear's fist burst into flames as it charged towards Tepig.

"Dodge it quick!" Ash yelled but Tepig got hit anyway and was sent back.

"Now use Flamethrower!" Chili yelled as Pansear fired some powerful fire from its mouth.

"Counter it with Ember!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired small flames from his snout and it collided with Pansear's Flamethrower, which was slightly stronger and pushed Ember back until it finally hit Tepig.

"Tepig!" Ash yelled in concern.

"Nice, now use Dig!" Chili yelled as Pansear burrowed underground while Tepig got up from that Flamethrower and looked around for his opponent and Ash would've yelled a command, but Tepig was thrown off the ground by a pair of paws that came from underground before he landed on the ground hard.

"Tepig!" Ash and Dark yelled in concern.

The cheerleaders continued to support Chili.

"Be careful of that Dig attack, it's dangerous!" Dark warned as both Ash and Tepig nodded.

"That won't be enough, use Dig again!" Chili yelled as Pansear went back into the hole.

Tepig was awaiting another command before Pansear rose from underground and threw Tepig into the air again.

"Dig again!" Chili yelled as Pansear dove back into the hole, as Ash gritted his teeth until he got an idea.

"Tepig, follow Pansear into that hole and grab it!" Ash yelled as Tepig dove down into the hole after Pansear, now the two Pokemon were nowhere to be seen.

Soon Pansear shot out of the hole with Tepig using his teeth to hold on to Pansear's tail.

"Shake it off!" Chili yelled as Pansear spun around to try and get Tepig to let go.

"Use Ember while you're spinning!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired his Ember attack at Pansear while spinning.

"Now throw Pansear to the ground, then use Tackle!" Ash yelled as Tepig threw Pansear to the ground and then hit Pansear with a Tackle attack slamming him into the wall leaving Pansear unable to continue.

"Pansear is unable to battle, Tepig wins. Therefor, the winner of the first match is the challenger Ash." Cilan said as Tepig ran over to his trainer who gave him a pat on the back while Iris smiled from the stands.

"Wow, he did it." Iris said.

"Alright, way to go Ash!" Dark cheered.

"(Go, go, fight, fight!)" Panpour cheered.

"You did good Pansear, take a nice rest." Chili said returning Pansear before he stood up to look at Ash.

"Your Tepig is quite hot and spicy when it comes to battling!" Chili commented to Ash.

"Thanks, we just have to win one more time and the badge is ours!" Ash said happily while Chili and Cress switched positions.

"I hope you don't mind battling me next Ash." Cress said.

"Not at all, let's go for it." Ash said with a grin as Cress' Panpour took its place on the field.

"The battle between Ash and Cress is about to begin!" Cilan announced as the cheerleaders began to cheer for Cress.

Ash took a good look at his opponent before he turned to Pikachu and said, "Cress looks like a tough Gym Leader, so I'm counting on you Pikachu."

"(No prob buddy, leave it to me.)" Pikachu said before he took his spot on the battlefield to face off against Cress' Panpour.

"Hey Iris, Electric-Types like Pikachu are good against Water-Types like Panpour, right?" Dark asked Iris in confusion.

"That's right, at least Ash thought this through." Iris said in amusement as Dark turned his attention back to the battle.

"(Wow, now I can see what that other Panpour can do against Pikachu. Man this is gonna be good.)" Dark's Panpour said with excitement.

"Let the battle begin!" Cilan said.

"Alright Pikachu, start things off with Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pikachu charged towards Cress' Panpour with great speed.

"Dodge it and use Scratch." Cress said as his Panpour swiftly moved out of the way and the tips of his paws started to glow before he attacked Pikachu with Scratch flinging him away.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled in concern.

Cress smiled at Ash as he said, "Although you have the Type advantage, my Panpour is bound to win. Now, use Water Gun!"

"Get up and dodge it!" Ash yelled as Pikachu tried to get back up which he did and jumped back as Cress' Panpour fired a Water Gun at Pikachu who dodged the attack.

"Now use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu got ready to use Thunderbolt when...

"Aim at the ground Panpour!" Cress yelled as his Panpour did just that just as Pikachu was about to land as he used Water Gun on the ground making Pikachu slip and fall as he lost his concentration.

"(Ah, very clever.)" Dark's Panpour commented.

"(Hey who's side are you on!?)" Pikachu yelled at Dark's Panpour in annoyance.

"You don't have a very wide range of attacks, don't you? Thus it was easy to predict your attack pattern." Cress said while the cheerleaders cheered again.

"(No wide range of attacks!? I'll show you my attack range!)" Pikachu yelled as he got back up.

"That's the spirit Pikachu, now use Volt Tackle!" Ash yelled as Pikachu charged towards Cress' Panpour with his Volt Tackle ready.

"Volt Tackle, an attack that causes damage to the user itself. No matter, our anti-Electric strategy is flawless. Panpour, use Mud Sport!" Cress yelled as his Panpour's paws glowed bright brown before he slammed them into the ground, then mud from the ground sprung up and went all over the ground as Pikachu continued to charge towards Cress' Panpour as Volt Tackle was cancelled out as he slipped and slid on the mud on the battlefield.

"This is the end, Panpour, Water Gun!" Cress yelled as his Panpour fired a powerful Water Gun at Pikachu who took the hit and way knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to battle, Panpour wins, and match two goes to Cress the Gym Leader." Cilan said as the cheerleaders cheered while Pikachu sighed and looked at the ground before he felt a hand on his forehead.

"Don't worry Pikachu, you did your best and that's what counts." Ash assured as Dark walked over to give Pikachu a gentle pat as well.

"I must say, I'm impressed, you've demonstrated the deep bonds between you and your Pokemon Ash, but our badge isn't going to be given away that easily." Cilan said standing next to Cress.

"That's the way I like it, I'm gonna give it all I've got to get the Trio Badge!" Ash said with determination as Dark nodded in agreement.

"Then how about you two prove it with a Tag-Battle? After all, Ash has one win and one loss, and I'd like to see what Dark's capable of." Cress pointed out.

"Good idea, let's go for it Dark." Ash said turning to face his little friend.

"I won't let you down Ash." Dark said as the two of them shook hands.

* * *

Soon Ash and Dark were on one side facing Cilan and Cress on the other side as Chili acted as the new referee.

"Pansage, why don't we give them a battle that's full of the tastiness of a five-star restaurant?" Cilan asked Pansage who was ready for the battle.

"We'll help out by giving them a cool battle like a fresh glass of cold refreshing water, right Panpour?" Cress asked as his Panpour happily nodded.

"Alright then, the final battle between Ash and Dark the challengers and Cilan and Cress the Gym Leaders is about to begin!" Chili declared.

"Alright, Tepig, I need you!" Dark yelled bringing his own Tepig out who shot flames out his snout ready for battle.

"It's all riding on this one, go Oshawott!" Ash yelled as Oshawott appeared next to Tepig, looking confident with his arms crossed.

"Oshawott? Why didn't he use Pidove? I can understand bringing out Tepig to fight against Pansage, but against Panpour?" Iris asked.

"Choosing Pokemon at a disadvantage purposely? That doesn't taste right." Cress said as Oshawott looked at one of his opponents and he looked nervous and then hid behind Ash, leaving Tepig alone on the battlefield.

"(Oh brother.)" Tepig sighed and then smacked his forehead as Ash and Pikachu pushed Oshawott back next to Tepig.

"Come on Oshawott, we need you to do this. I know you can do this because you're one of my strongest Pokemon, and with Tepig by your side there's no way you can lose. Remember that time with Team Rocket?" Ash encouraged Oshawott who remembered what happened with the first encounter with Team Rocket and then he got his confidence back.

"(Alright, I'll do it!)" Oshawott cried proudly.

"Alright, now let's win this battle together!" Dark yelled happily.

"Good, you two may have the first attack." Cilan offered.

"Alright then, use Tackle Oshawott!" Ash yelled.

"Tepig, you use Tackle as well!" Dark yelled as the two Pokemon charged towards Pansage and Panpour.

"Pansage dodge." Cilan said calmly as Pansage stepped out of the way of Oshawott's Tackle as Oshawott turned to glare at the Grass Monkey Pokemon.

"Now Panpour, use Double Team!" Cress said as his Panpour glowed and then a bunch of Panpour circled around Tepig confusing him and Dark.

"Now Pansage, use Bullet Seed!" Cilan yelled as Pansage fired multiple seeds at Oshawott who panicked and ran away as the seeds hit him in the behind.

"Water Gun!" Cress yelled as his Panpour made the images vanish as he fired his Water Gun at Tepig from behind causing both Tepig and Oshawott to crash into each other.

Iris smiled in amusement as she said, "Their bark may be worse than their bite."

"(You're telling me.)" Axew said in agreement as Tepig was wet as he shook the water off his body while Oshawott's behind was now red and sore from the Bullet Seed attack.

"You four are unalike a fine wine. With age, you didn't mature. In my opinion, you need to grow up." Cilan commented.

"I agree with you there my brother." Cress agreed.

"What!?" Ash yelled while Dark just tilted his head in confusion.

"Need proof? Then let me demonstrate. Pansage get close to Oshawott and reduce the distance between you two!" Cilan said as Pansage leaped into the air to get close to Oshawott.

"Now use Bite!" Cilan yelled as Pansage got his teeth ready.

"Tepig, use Ember on Pansage, protect Oshawott!" Dark yelled as Tepig got in front of Oshawott and fired small flames from his snout at Pansage, pushing him away from the two Pokemon.

"That was close, thanks Dark." Ash said.

"Impressive, but I'm not out of this yet, alright Panpour, use Water Gun on Tepig!" Cress yelled as his Panpour released a jet of water at Tepig.

"Oshawott, use your own Water Gun to counter it!" Ash yelled as Oshawott fired his Water Gun as it collided with Cress' Panpour's Water Gun cancelling each other out as Oshawott and Tepig high-pawed each other.

"(Now that's what I call teamwork.)" Dark's Panpour commented.

"(If they keep this up, they'll win that Trio Badge, no problem.)" Pikachu said in agreement.

"I'm impressed, but using simple tastes like Ember and Water Gun won't beat me and Cress. Let me show you two a more exquisite attack. Pansage, how about we convert the Sun's energy into an attack?" Cilan said as Pansage nodded and rose his arms while the tuft on his head began to sparkle.

"Uh, what are you going to do?" Dark asked in confusion while Iris' eyes went wide in realization.

"No, not that!" Iris yelled as the cheerleaders cheered yet again as a ball of light appeared in Pansage's hands.

"May I Cress?" Cilan asked politely.

"By all means Cilan." Cress said.

"Use Solar Beam!" Cilan yelled as Pansage wasted no time at firing his Solar Beam at Oshawott.

"Oshawott!" Ash and Dark cried.

"(Get outta there!)" Pikachu and Dark's Panpour cried while Ash gritted his teeth as the Solar Beam drew closer.

* * *

The Striaton Gym Battle is off at it's final Tag-Battle, and things are starting to look bad for Tepig and Oshawott. How can they beat Pansage and Panpour? Can Ash and Dark come out on top and win their first Unova Region Gym Badge? Find out as the Tag-Battle concludes next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	7. Dreams by the Yard Full

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, with the help of a Pokemon Connoisseur named Cilan, Ash, Dark, and Iris have finally found the Striaton Gym. The Gym battle started off with Ash facing off against Chili, one of the three Striaton Gym Leaders by using Tepig against Pansear and Ash emerged victorious. The second round had Ash and Pikachu battling against Cress and his Panpour, despite having a Type advantage, Ash lost the second match against Cress. Now they move on to the last match, a Tag-Battle with Ash and Dark battling against Cress and Cilan, it looked like a tough battle and then Cilan asked his partner, Pansage, to draw out power from the sun and launch it at Oshawott. Find out what happens now as the battle concludes today!

Dreams by the Yard Full

Pansage's Solar Beam was getting closer and closer to Oshawott who was panicking as Ash tried to think of something until something popped into his head.

"Oshawott, use your scalchop to defend yourself!" Ash yelled as Oshawott removed his scalchop and held it in front of him as the Solar Beam hit the scalchop sending Oshawott back a little as he deflected it and sent the attack up to the sky through the ceiling as Oshawott landed on a rock, placed his scalchop back where it belongs and did a little victory pose while the three Gym Leaders were surprised and the cheerleaders were disappointed.

"That was quite a flavoursome technique there Ash." Cilan commented.

"I must say I have never seen anything quite like that in my time as a Gym Leader." Cress added.

"That's right, we'll show you more of how our Tepig and Oshawott are the cream of the crop!" Ash declared as Cilan raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so? Then we'll attack next. Pansage, Bullet Seed!" Cilan said as Pansage jumped up and fired his Bullet Seed at Oshawott who was using his scalchop to block all the Bullet Seed attacks before the Bullet Seed stopped.

"Now use Razor Shell!" Ash cried as Oshawott's scalchop started to glow until water formed into a blade at the top of the scalchop as Oshawott jumped into the air and charged towards Pansage and Panpour.

"I don't think so, knock the scalchop away with Bullet Seed!" Cilan commanded as Pansage fired another round of Bullet Seed while Oshawott panicked and doged in the air but one attack from Bullet Seed was enough to knock Oshawott's scalchop away as it landed on the battlefield while Oshawott landed on the field and panicked while trying to find the scalchop.

"That's what happens when overconfidence takes over." Iris commented while rolling her eyes.

"(So true.)" Axew agreed as Dark came up with something.

"Tepig, carry Oshawott on your back and try to get the scalchop back!" Dark yelled as Tepig nodded and ran over to bump into Oshawott and place him on his back before he ran over to get the scalchop.

"Pansage, Bullet Seed!" Cilan commanded.

"Alright Panpour, use Water Gun!" Cress commanded as the two Monkey Pokemon fired Bullet Seed and Water Gun to prevent Tepig and Oshawott from getting the scalchop while Oshawott held on to Tepig for dear life as Tepig ran around the field while they both got hit with Bullet Seed and Water Gun.

"Looks like we win my dear borther." Cress said as Tepig heard it and got mad.

"I couldn't agree more, it seems as though they're a disappointment." Cilan said.

"We're what!?" Ash and Dark yelled.

"(Oh yeah!? I'll show you!)" Tepig yelled before the tip of his tail started to glow and all of a sudden the light in the room got even brighter.

"Hey, what's going on? What's Tepig using?" Dark asked in confusion before he pulled out his Pokedex to find out more.

"Sunny Day, a move that intensifies the sun for a limited time, thus powering up all Fire-Type attacks." the Pokedex explained as Tepig kept running when he and Oshawott were now surrounded by flames as he charged towards Pansage and Panpour.

"What's that?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Flame Charge, the Pokemon cloaks itself with flames and charges towards its opponents. Building up more power, it also raises the Pokemon's speed." Dark's Pokedex explained for Ash as Tepig turned around before he could hit Pansage and Panpour and ran towards Oshawott's scalchop.

"(Okay, get ready to grab it partner!)" Tepig yelled as Oshawott now knew what Tepig was up to and bent a little lower and then he grabbed his scalchop.

"Wow, those two are a great team." Iris commented.

"My my, that looks like a secret ingredient." Cilan commented as Cress nodded in agreement as Ash and Dark nodded at each other.

"Alright, Tepig, Oshawott, Flame Charge Razor Shell combo! GO!" Ash and Dark yelled as Oshawott got his Razor Shell ready while Tepig kept his Flame Charge going as he ran towards Pansage and Panpour as Oshawott jumped off of Tepig as he slashed his Razor Shell on Pansage and Tepig rammed into Panpour with Flame Charge, throwing both Pokemon back in the process and leaving Panpour with a burn on his arm.

"Wow an unexpected dish!" Cilan exclaimed.

"An interesting hot cup of Tea indeed! Now Panpour, wrap this up with Scratch!" Cress commanded.

"Pansage, let's wrap this up with Bite!" Cilan yelled as Pansage and Panpour got their teeth and paws ready.

"Finish this up with one more Razor Shell Oshawott!" Ash yelled.

"Tepig, use Flame Charge one more time!" Dark yelled as the four Pokemon charged towards each other with Scratch, Flame Charge, Bite, and Razor Shell ready as the four Pokemon hit each other as they now had their backs turned to each other.

Then Pansage and Panpour fell on their backs unable to continue as the bright light from the sun died down a little.

"Oh no./This can't be." Cilan and Cress said while the cheerleaders moaned in disappointment.

"Pansage and Panpour are both unable to battle, Tepig and Oshawott win! The winners of the battle and the Gym Badge, with two wins for their side, are the challengers, Ash and Dark!" Chili declared as Ash and Dark cheered happily while Pikachu and Dark's Panpour high-pawed each other before the four of them ran over to Tepig and Oshawott while Iris was surprised from where she was standing.

"Wow, they really did it." Iris said as Ash, Dark, and their Pokemon walked up to the three Gym Leaders as Cress held a small container with two badges in it, both of them the same with these three colors from top to bottom, blue, red, and green.

"Here, Ash, Dark. For you two." Cress said.

"They're proof that you two beat this Gym." Chili said.

"The Trio Badge." Cilan said as Ash picked up the two badges and handed one to Dark.

"Yes! we've got the Trio Badge. Our first badge in Unova!" Ash yelled happily while doing a pose with his three Pokemon joining him while Dark just looked at his Trio Badge.

"Is something wrong Dark, are you not pleased?" Cress asked in confusion before Dark popped his Trio Badge into his mouth while everyone around him looked at him like he was crazy as Dark made a disgusted face and spit the badge out.

"The Trio Badge doesn't taste very good." Dark said.

"Dark, you're suppose to collect Gym Badges, not eat them." Ash said while sweat dropping as he and Dark put their badges away and turned to Iris as Ash asked, "So Iris, what did you think?"

"You didn't have to face all of them, at least Dark was smart enough just to go with the Tag-Battle. Honestly it's a miracle that you beat one, let alone two with Dark's help." Iris said while rolling her eyes as Ash made a sour face.

"We still won Iris." Dark said with his silly smile.

"That was mainly luck, even though you were at a Type disadvantage, Ash with Oshawott against Pansage, and you with Tepig against Panpour. You're lucky that Tepig learned Sunny Day and Flame Charge, otherwise you two would've lost. Next time, how about the two of you push luck aside and think about a better strategy?" Iris said.

"Is that so? Well how about I battle you and show you how wrong you are?" Ash challenged.

"Fine with me." Iris said turning her head away as Cilan decided to speak up.

"Hold on you two, save it for later, although the combination of you two does conjure a certain bouquet." Cilan said confusing Ash and Dark.

"A bouquet?" Ash and Dark asked with Dark scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"Obviously it means aroma. What a couple of kids, let's go Axew." Iris sighed.

"Hold on, aren't the three of you traveling together?" Cilan asked in confusion.

"No we're not, I was just helping them out! See ya Ash and Dark, good job to both of you." Iris said before she and Axew left the Striaton Gym.

"But what about our battle?" Ash asked feeling a little down about not getting his battle with Iris.

"Maybe she left to see what's in Striaton City, I'm sure she'll be back Ash." Dark said with a smile as Cilan looked at Ash and Dark with a smile of his own.

* * *

Ash and Dark left the Gym and went over to the Pokemon Center to get their Pokemon healed up as Ash and Dark placed their Pokeballs in the container and Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and onto the counter.

"Ready!" Ash called as Nurse Joy came from another room.

"Nurse Joy, what are you doing here? I thought you were in the Pokemon Center in Accumula Town." Dark said tilting his head in confusion as Nurse Joy giggled.

"Of course, you mean my younger sister." Nurse Joy said before she pulled out a photo showing a bunch of Nurse Joys together.

"That's the Accumula Town nurse, and that's me." Nurse Joy said pointing at two of them in the picture.

"I can see the resemblance." Ash said while sweat dropping a little while Dark tilted his head again while he scratched it with his tail.

"Thank you. A Pikachu, a very rare Pokemon in the Unova Region. Does this mean you two have a Gym battle today?" Nurse Joy asked but before either Ash or Dark could answer, a familiar voice from behind them answered for them.

"Actually, it's already finished. Those two are very impressive as trainers." Ash and Dark turned around to see Cilan standing behind them.

"Hey Cilan, what's up?" Ash asked as he and Dark wondered what one of the Striaton Gym Leaders was doing here.

"Ash, Dark, I'd like to have a talk with you two, if that's all right." Cilan said.

"Sure, okay." Dark said with a nod as he and Ash left their Pokemon, except for Panpour, with Nurse Joy as the three of them headed up to the next floor and they took a seat at a table nearby.

"(I wonder what Cilan wants to talk about?)" Panpour asked in confusion.

"Our battle today was quite a fruitful one. If I were to perform an analysis, I'd say you two are quite matched with your Pokemon." Cilan said to Ash and Dark.

"Thanks, I've been playing with some of the wild Pokemon back home before I went on this journey with Ash, I guess it just comes with experience." Dark happily said.

"(Yeah, it was really something alright.)" Panpour shrugged with a smile.

"I'd like to ask you two some questions, if that's okay. I feel like that it might help me grow as a Pokemon Connoisseur." Cilan said.

"Sure thing Cilan, fire away." Ash said before Cilan looked at both Ash and Dark with a bright expression while holding a notepad and a pencil in his hands as Ash and Dark looked surprised by the sudden action.

"So, how did you two bring out a Pokemon's hidden zest like you do? Also, what is your secret recipe for turning Type disadvantages into a victory? Please guys, I'm dying to know!" Cilan leaned closer and closer to the two Pokemon Trainers who were a little scared but then Dark blinked as Panpour sweat dropped at the scene.

"Uh, which question do you want us to answer first?" Dark asked in confusion until the intercom beeped.

"Ash? Dark? Your Pokemon have made a full recovery." Nurse Joy's voice said as Ash and Dark got up and went downstairs with Panpour following them towards the counter.

When they got there they saw a pink Pokemon with blue eyes pushed a trolley with Pikachu on top along with the Pokeballs containing the two Tepig and Oshawott.

"Pikachu." Ash said happily as Pikachu happily went over to Ash's shoulder while Dark picked up his Tepig's Pokeball as well as give Ash his two Pokeballs.

"Who's that Pokemon?" Ash asked while looking at the pink Pokemon as Cilan came next to him.

"That's an Audino, Nurse Joy's assistant at the Pokemon Center." Cilan explained as Dark took out his Pokedex to find out more.

"Audino, the Hearing Pokemon. Audino can assess a Pokemon's overall physical condition and mood using its ears." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away and he and Ash looked at the Pokemon with amazement until the door opened and Iris ran inside holding Axew.

"Nurse Joy, I need your help!" Iris yelled running over to the counter.

"Iris, what happened?" Dark asked walking over to stand next to Iris as did Ash and Cilan.

"Axew fell asleep and then he glowed when a pink light hit him from the sky." Iris said as Dark, Ash, and Cilan looked to see that Axew was indeed glowing pink and was fast asleep.

"Pink light?" Ash asked as Iris nodded.

"There's a lot more of it outside whatever it is." Iris said as someone else entered the Pokemon Center wearing a lab coat with a pink Pokemon floating next to her as she gasped when she saw Axew sleeping and glowing.

"It's started. Munna, wake up Axew and quickly!" the lady said to the Pokemon who nodded and floated next to Axew, opened its mouth, and the light surrounding Axew went into the Pokemon's mouth while Ash got his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Munna, the Dream Eater Pokemon. Munna can eat the dreams of people and Pokemon alike, and then project those dreams by emitting Dream Mist from its body." the Pokedex explained as the light completely left Axew and Munna closed its mouth and spots that look like flowers started to glow along with a small spot on its forehead as pink mist flew out and floated above everyone else as they saw a picture begin to form in the cloud.

They saw Axew running in a flat field happily.

"What's that?" Iris asked in confusion.

"That's the dream Axew was having." the lady said as Axew woke up and Iris sighed in relief, then they saw Axew in the cloud begin to glow and change shape, soon it was a completely different Pokemon with longer tusks.

"Did he just evolve?" Ash asked as Iris nodded.

"Axew evolves into Fraxure." Iris said as the Fraxure in the picture glowed and changed shape again, this time into a different Pokemon with red tusks.

"Who's that Pokemon Iris?" Dark asked in confusion.

"It's Haxorus, Axew's final evolved form." Iris explained as the cloud disappeared.

"So you were having a dream about evolving." Iris said to Axew who happily nodded his head.

"Excuse me." the lady said as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan turned to her as she curtsied and continued with, "I'm Doctor Fennel, I specialize in dreams and other strange phenomenon which so many Pokemon possess. Shall we go outside?"

* * *

When they made it outside, they saw that Iris was right, Striaton City was surrounded by pink lights and mist.

"Those pink lights are what made Axew fall asleep." Iris said as Axew went back into Iris' hair for protection against the lights.

"I have a feeling that this is cause by the Dream Mist that Musharna creates." Dr. Fennel said confusing Ash and Dark.

"Musharna?" Ash and Dark asked in confusion.

"Right, I believe that Musharna evolves from Munna." Cilan pointed out as Dr. Fennel nodded her head while Ash got his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Musharna, the Drowsing Pokemon, and the evolved form of Munna. The mist from its forehead takes the form of things present in the dreams it has eaten." the Pokedex explained before Ash put it away.

"Musharna eats dreams just like Munna and can also project the dreams into its Dream Mist." Dr. Fennel explained before a police car stopped in front of the five of them and a female officer with light blue hair came out.

"Officer Jenny!" Cilan said surprised as Officer Jenny walked closer to Ash and Dark.

"You two have to return your Pokemon to their Pokeballs right now. One by one, Pokemon are falling asleep after getting hit by this pink light so you two have to hurry." Officer Jenny told Ash and Dark.

"You see Officer Jenny, my Pikachu doesn't like being in his Pokeball at all." Ash said while scratching his head.

"My Panpour doesn't like being in his Pokeball either." Dark said surprising Iris and Cilan.

"Wow, I never knew that." Iris said to herself.

"(I don't see how any Pokemon can enjoy those tiny little things.)" Panpour said as Pikachu nodded in agreement as Dr. Fennel smiled at Ash and Dark.

"May I?" Dr. Fennel asked as she removed Ash and Dark's hats and placed them on Pikachu and Panpour, the hats were preventing the lights from hitting the two Pokemon as Dr. Fennel then said, "That should keep them safe from the lights."

"But what about Munna?" Dark asked as they looked at the Dream Eater Pokemon.

"Munna will be fine. The lights and Munna are attracted to each other." Dr. Fennel said as Munna smiled when some of the lights touched it.

"I think if we want to solve what's causing these lights, we have to go to the Dreamyard." Dr. Fennel said.

"The Dreamyard?" Ash asked in confusion not noticing that Dark was looking drowsy after he got hit on the head by one of the pink lights with his eyes glowing pink as well.

"(What's that?)" Pikachu asked in confusion, but before anyone could explain, Dark fell on his back and fell asleep as a pink light surrounded his body as the others were looking at him, both confused and worried.

"Dark, what happened to him?" Ash asked as Dark snored softly.

"It's the same as Axew was when he was asleep." Iris said shaking Dark by the shoulders to try and wake him up.

"I don't understand, I thought only Pokemon were affected by these lights." Officer Jenny said as Ash picked up Dark.

"It doesn't matter, we have to wake him up." Ash said.

"But if we wake him up out here, he might just fall back asleep if he gets hit with another pink light." Cilan pointed out as Officer Jenny walked back over to her police car.

"Get in, you can wake him up in my car." Officer Jenny offered as they nodded and they all got in the car as they drove away to the Dreamyard.

* * *

As Officer Jenny was driving, Munna was in the back with Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan with its mouth open as it began to suck up the light from Dark's body before it completely vanished from his body as Munna closed its mouth and the Dream Mist escaped its body to project what Dark was dreaming about as Dark woke up making Ash, Iris, Cilan, Pikachu, and Panpour sigh in relief as a picture started to form in the Dream Mist.

Unlike Axew's dream, Dark's dream was a little blurry except for one thing they saw, it was Dark who was four years old in some strange white and light-blue armor playing happily with two other boys, one who looks like the same age as Dark, and the other who looked two years older, but the two boys that young Dark was playing with were as blurry as the building they were in, then suddenly the dream came to a halt before the Dream Mist vanished.

"That was odd, what kind of dream were you having Dark?" Ash asked as Dark thought about it.

"I don't really know, but those dreams happen every once in a while, and whenever I try to think about it my head hurts real bad." Dark said rubbing the side of his head.

"It doesn't matter, you're awake now." Iris said with a smile as Cilan looked at Dark's hoodie and then smiled.

"This should keep you safe from anymore of those lights." Cilan said as he lifted Dark's hood over his head.

"Thanks, so where are we going?" Dark asked.

"To the Dreamyard, it's an abandoned site at the edge of the city. A few years back it was the talk of the town, something about an explosion or something." Cilan explained what he knew about the Dreamyard while Dr. Fennel, who was sitting in the passenger seat nodded.

"It's the remains of the Pokemon Energy Research Facility, its main aim was to find a way to utilize Musharna's Dream Mist, in other words we wanted to turn it into energy. I was one of the scientists on the project." Dr. Fennel explained.

"Dreams into energy?" Dark asked while tilting his head.

"Yes, it would've been the ultimate clean energy had our research been finished. I mean, dreams would be the source and nothing more, but then..." Dr. Fennel trailed off with a sad look on her face.

"Then what, what happened?" Ash asked curious about what happened.

"A group of people came to take that energy, and since their goals were dreams, Musharna absorbed them. But it was too much, the dreams became too much for Musharna and it couldn't process them anymore. As a result, the lab's source of energy overloaded and the facility itself was completely demolished in a big explosion and Musharna mysteriously disappeared." Dr. Fennel explained sadly.

"What about the research?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Without Musharna to help us, I gave up. Munna and I left the city, but we came back because Munna sensed something and with the pink lights being involved, Musharna must be here, I'm sure of it." Dr. Fennel said as something caught Dark and Officer Jenny's eyes as they looked straight ahead.

"What is that?" Officer Jenny and Dark asked at the same time as they looked ahead to see pink lights converging with the color thicker there than anywhere in Striaton City.

* * *

Soon they arrived at what looks like a destroyed lab to see three figures, one shorter than the other two, along with some strange device as they exited the car and approached the three.

"Alright, I demand to know your purpose here." Officer Jenny said.

"Simple, we're scanning this area for any residual dream energy." one of the figures said.

"That machine must be elevating the energy levels left here." Dr. Fennel said while pointing at the machine that was still running.

"Very good." the second figure said.

"What exactly are you planning to do with that energy anyway?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Asking questions are good indeed." the female figure said.

"The answer to come as we feel the need." the male figure said before all three of them removed their cloaks and sunglasses to reveal that it was none other than Jessie, James, and Meowth of Team Rocket as Ash and Iris scowled at them along with Pikachu and Panpour.

"Not them again." Iris sighed in annoyance.

"Bringing the white light of evil into the future!"

"And thrusting the hammer of justice on the universe!"

"Carving our names in the Rock of Eternity!"

"The fiery destroyer, I'm Jessie!"

"And with thunderous emotion, I am James!"

"Wisest of the wise, I am Meowth!"

"And now we call all to gather under the name of Team Rocket!" the three of them said together as Dark tilted his head and blinked.

"Team Rocket? What's a Kanto criminal organization doing in Unova?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Beginning our takeover of the Unova Region of course." Jessie said.

"The energy will be awakened here by Team Rocket." James said.

"And we won't let the police or you twerps stand between us and our goal!" Meowth smirked.

"To think that there are still people who want to harness that energy." Dr. Fennel said while a thought came to Cilan's mind.

"Dr. Fennel, do you think it's possible that Musharna was warning you about this occurrence through Munna?" Cilan asked as Dr. Fennel blinked in realization, then the ground beneath them began to shake and pink light started to rise from the ground, then there was a burst of pink energy and a pink dome, starting at the center of the Dreamyard and then it expanded to cover the entire yard.

Then everyone heard some sort of cry as Dark asked, "Do you guys hear something?"

Everyone listened carefully until they heard the cry again.

"Is that Musharna's cry?" Dr. Fennel asked.

"Musharna?" Jessie asked James.

"The Pokemon that helped with the experiments at the laboratory." James explained.

"Hey, if Musharna is the source of the dream energy, not only could we retrieve the residual energy remaining, but we could also have the source of the energy to boot." Meowth grinned.

"Musharna, come on out please!" Dr. Fennel yelled trying to get Musharna out while Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan helped out as well then something appeared before them in the air in the middle of the dome, it was a bright ball of light as it burst and revealed a Pokemon with a purple body floating in the air.

"Musharna!" Dr. Fennel cried happily as she and Munna ran over to Musharna, but then a laser shot in front of her making Dr. Fennel and Munna stop.

"Dr. Fennel!" Ash and Dark yelled running over to them before they stopped as the laser shot in front of them as well.

"We'll be taking Musharna now." James said as the machine stopped collecting energy while one panel shot the lasers and the other panel fired a green beam that wrapped around Musharna drawing it closer to Team Rocket.

"Please stop!" Dr. Fennel pleaded.

"No way, Musharna is now a proud member of Team Rocket!" Jessie said with a laugh as Dark growled before he ran towards Team Rocket.

"That twerp might have brawn but he doesn't have any brain." James said as the lasers kept firing at Dark who was jumping and dodging the lasers as he kept running towards Musharna.

"He might need help. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt! Panpour, use Water Gun!" Ash yelled as Pikachu and Panpour nodded and fired their Thunderbolt and Water Gun at the laser that was about to hit Dark as he finally reached the machine.

"That twerp with the tail actually made it through!" Meowth yelled in shock.

"Alright, I'm ready for you this time!" Jessie Growled calling her Woobat out.

"Use Air Slash and get him away from Musharna!" Jessie said as Woobat fired its Air Slash at Dark.

"Quick Munna, use Psychic!" Dr. Fennel said as Munna's eyes glowed and used its psychic powers to not only stop Woobat's Air Slash, but also destroyed the machine as well as freed Musharna who got away quickly as Dark finished the job by destroying the machine with one last punch as he ran back over to his friends as the pink dome disappeared.

"Woobat, use Gust!" Jessie said as Woobat used Gust to cover Team Rocket in a dust cloud.

"(Oh no you don't!)" Panpour yelled before he ran towards the smoke cloud and jumped to hit them from up above, only to land on the ground when the smoke cleared and Team Rocket was nowhere to be seen as Panpour got up and said, "(Damn, they got away.)"

"It's fine Panpour, look. Dr. Fennel and Musharna are happily reunited, that's all that counts." Dark said happily seeing Dr. Fennel and Musharna hugging each other as Ash, Iris, and Cilan nodded in agreement.

"What a sweet reunion. Dr. Fennel and Musharna's hearts joined together after all this time. Such a lovely flavor!" Cilan commented.

"Well, for now, this case is closed." Officer Jenny said looking where Team Rocket use to be.

* * *

The next day, Cilan came over to the Pokemon Center and asked Ash and Dark to follow him to the Striaton Gym which they did, and now Ash and Dark watched as Cilan, Chili, and Cress were talking in front of the Gym.

"You're going on a journey!?" Chili asked in shock.

"Are you serious?" Cress asked as Cilan nodded his head.

"Absolutely, after our battle with Ash and Dark, I just couldn't resist the temptation anymore. I can see so clearly now, the pairings of trainers and Pokemon are much more complex than I originally thought, so much more! And I'm positive that this will help me be a better Pokemon Connoisseur." Cilan explained with enthusiasm in his voice.

"If that's the case, go ahead Cilan." Chili said with a smile and a nod.

"We want you to be the best Pokemon Connoisseur." Cress added.

"Thank you, both of you." Cilan said shaking hands with his brothers.

"You just leave the Gym to us." Chili said.

"Best wishes on your journey Cilan." Cress said happily before Cilan nodded at them and then went on his way with Ash and Dark as the three of them were now walking down the tree-line streets of Striaton City.

"So Cilan, where are you going?" Dark asked.

"Wherever you two are going, I want to accompany you two on your journey! Besides, you two still haven't answered my questions." Cilan said happily as Ash and Dark looked at him as Cilan continued, "If we travel together, I have no doubt that the journey will be full of unexpected flavors."

"(I say, we go for it.)" Pikachu said as Panpour nodded in agreement.

"I have no problem with that, let's travel together!" Ash exclaimed.

"Besides it might be more fun with some new friends. So where's the nearest Gym?" Dark asked while tilting his head as Cilan pulled a Town Map out of his pocket to find the nearest Gym.

"That would be Nacrene City, home to the Nacrene Gym." Cilan said with a smile.

"Looks like we're heading to Nacrene City next." Ash said with determination.

"But Ash, where's Iris? I haven't seen her since yesterday." Dark pointed out.

"I don't know." Ash shrugged.

"BOO!" a shout came from the tree Ash was standing next to causing Ash and Cilan to jump a little as Dark saw Iris jump from the tree and the two of them laughed a little.

"Did I scare you?" Iris asked with a grin.

"What do think?" Ash glared at Iris.

"(What were you thinking?)" Pikachu glared at Iris as well.

"Why don't we all travel together? The way we compliment each other is like exquisite ingredients in a five-star recipe." Cilan suggested.

"Come with us Iris, it'll be fun." Dark said with a silly smile on his face.

"Sure, I don't see why not." Iris shrugged.

"Yeah, let's make our dreams come true together! I want to be a Pokemon Master, Cilan wants to be the world's best Pokemon Connoisseur, and you... wait, Dark, Iris, what do you two want to be?" Ash said realizing that Dark and Iris never said anything about their dreams.

"Mine's a secret." Iris said with a wink.

"(Top secret, hush hush.)" Axew added from her hair.

"What about you Dark?" Cilan asked as Dark thought about it.

"I guess I don't really have a dream like you guys, I'm here on this journey because Professor Juniper thought it might be a good idea." Dark shrugged as the four of them grinned at each other.

"Come on, let's go!" Iris said as she happily ran on ahead, all four of them and the three Pokemon laughing happily as they head out for Nacrene City.

* * *

Not only have Ash and Dark won their first Unova Region Gym badge, but they also have a new friend and traveling companion in Cilan. Now the adventure in Unova has truly begun. Who knows what they'll run into on their way to Nacrene City for Ash and Dark's second Unova Gym battle? Will they run into Team Rocket again, or will they run into something even more dangerous? Find out as the journey continues next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	8. Snivy Plays Hard to Catch

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, after winning their first Unova Region Gym Badge, Ash and Dark had a run in with Dr. Fennel who researches the dreams of Pokemon and they discovered that Pokemon were falling asleep all over Striaton City, so they decided to help find out what's going on. Once they got there, they once again run into Team Rocket who were gathering the energy in the place called the Dreamyard. Soon they stopped Team Rocket with the help of Munna and Dark's strength, but Team Rocket got away once again. Now Ash and Dark continue on their journey, with Iris and Cilan tagging along with them. Who knows what they'll find?

Snivy Plays Hard to Catch

Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were walking through the forest on their way to Nacrene City, with the relaxing wind gently blowing in their faces, then they heard a loud growl scaring Axew back into Iris' hair as Iris and Cilan turned to Ash and Dark, Ash with a hand on his stomach, and Dark who looks tired.

"Man, I'm starving." Ash said.

"Can we stop to eat guys?" Dark asked sounding tired as well.

"Sure, wait right here and I'll get something to eat." Iris said before she left to find some food.

Ash, Dark, and Cilan were sitting in front of a tree stump, waiting for Iris to come back with their meal, then they saw her coming to them with a basket full of fruit.

"Here you go guys, nature's menu, on the house!" Iris said triumphantly placing the basket on top of the stump as Ash and Dark smiled and drooled a little bit.

"Yummy, thanks Iris." Dark said picking up an apple from the basket, closed his eyes, and was about to take a big bite out of it, but then Cilan took it away all of a sudden as Dark opened his eyes and looked at his now empty hand in confusion.

"Hold on a minute Dark, I've got a better idea." Cilan said, later he heated up the fruit with his frying pan while Ash, Dark, and Iris were sitting on a table waiting for food yet again.

"Is it done yet Cilan?" Ash asked with his head on the table as Dark let Axew play with his tail a little before Cilan came over to his friends with plates full of food in his hands as he placed them on the table in front of the three trainers.

"Now, it's lunch time! By pureeing the fruit, I was able to make muffins and fruit cakes." Cilan said as Ash and Dark looked at him and the food in awe before Dark picked up one of the muffins as Ash took a sniff.

"Smells great." Ash said before Dark took a bite out of it as Ash, Iris, and Cilan looked at him, waiting for his opinion on the food laid out on the table.

"Well, is it okay?" Ash asked wanting to know how it tastes.

"Okay?" Dark asked taking one last glance at the muffin, then he gave his friends a big smile and yelled, "This is great!"

"Works for me." Ash said eating his own muffin as he said, "Wow, you weren't kidding." soon Pikachu and Panpour grabbed a muffin of their own and began to chow down themselves.

"Making such a big deal out of food, what a couple of kids." Iris said before she reluctantly took a muffin for herself, then she said, "I would've preferred the fruit instead, but..." then she took a bite out of the muffin.

"Well, how is it?" Cilan asked raising an eyebrow.

"It's great! If I can eat food like this every day, maybe this journey will be fun! I can't wait for dinner!" Iris said with sparkles in her eyes.

"Yummy." Dark said stuffing another muffin in his face as did Ash.

"Hey, save some for the rest of us!" Iris said as she and Cilan saw that the plate was almost empty.

"There's seconds if anyone wants more." Cilan happily offered as Dark jumped up and ran towards the cooking table as Ash jumped up after him.

"Hey, save some for me!" Iris yelled before running over to the table as well.

"Oh no you don't!" Ash yelled pulling Dark by the tail, putting him in the front.

"Nice try Ash!" Dark yelled back jumping off of Ash's head and in the lead as Ash and Dark did that to each other until they finally made it to the table along with Iris while Cilan sweat dropped at Ash and Dark's actions when it comes to food as Panpour smacked his forehead and shook his head slowly while Pikachu and Axew simply watched, then Ash, Dark, and Iris saw that there was an empty plate on the table.

"Hey Cilan, I don't see any seconds." Ash said while Dark kept his gaze on the plate as Cilan walked over to take a look himself.

"I'm positive that there were seconds here moments ago." Cilan said looking at the plate in confusion.

"I think someone took them." Dark said taking a wild guess then they heard rustling next to them, as the group looked to see the bush next to them rustle, like something was moving in it before Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew looked at each other.

* * *

Ash and Dark were moving through the grass as silently as they could before they came into a clearing, that's when they saw the thief, who turned out to be a Snivy eating one of the muffins.

"A Snivy!" Ash whispered excitedly.

"That's one of the starters you can get from Professor Juniper's lab, I guess it likes the muffins." Dark whispered as Ash turned to Pikachu.

"What do you think? Should I catch it?" Ash asked his little yellow buddy.

"(Yeah, go for it.)" Pikachu replied as Ash nodded and reached for an empty Pokeball.

"(Hey, hold on a minute, you've made the last few catches. Don't be selfish, let Dark have a turn.)" Panpour said patting Dark on the head.

"That's okay Panpour, Ash can go ahead and catch Snivy." Dark said with a silly smile.

"Alright, go Pokeball!" Ash cried as he threw the Pokeball at Snivy while Iris and Cilan saw from where they were.

The Pokeball hit Snivy on the head, then it was sucked into the ball along with the muffin.

"Huh, already!?" Iris asked in shock as the ball hit the ground.

"You bet!" Ash said as the ball shook three times, then the ball burst open and Snivy was out as it used its tail to flick the Pokeball back to Ash who gritted his teeth.

"Ash, didn't Iris say that you have to weaken the Pokemon in a battle before you can catch it?" Dark asked in confusion but then Snivy fled from the area as Iris and Cilan went over to Ash and Dark.

"If Snivy went into your Pokeball like that, that means it must be a wild Pokemon." Iris said.

"Indeed." Cilan said in agreement.

"If that's the case, I'll just have to try again! I'll catch Snivy for sure!" Ash said in determination before racing on ahead with Dark following him, soon the four of them had no idea where they were going.

"Come on, where are you?" Ash asked looking around for Snivy as was Dark.

"Honestly Ash, we're lost already, you're such a kid." Iris sighed in annoyance before Dark started to sniff the air around them as only Cilan noticed.

"Uh, Dark, what are you doing?" Cilan asked but Dark just kept on sniffing but then he had a big smile and ran on ahead of the others.

"Hey Dark, wait a minute!" Ash called as he, Pikachu, Iris, and Cilan ran after Dark and Panpour.

"(Where are you going!?)" Pikachu called as they still chased after Dark and Panpour until they stopped as did the others as Dark smiled at the others and pointed ahead.

"I found Snivy." Dark said happily as Ash, Iris, and Cilan looked ahead to see the Snivy from before in another clearing still enjoying the muffin.

"Thanks Dark." Ash said patting Dark on the head before he and Pikachu ran out of the grass to try and catch Snivy again.

"How did you know where to find it?" Iris asked in confusion.

"I picked up the scent." Dark said happily while Iris and Cilan just looked at him.

"What are you, a Dog Pokemon?" Iris asked while sweat dropping.

"Nope, I just followed a sweet scent. Snivy was still holding a muffin, so I've figured that if there's a scent that smells as sweet as Cilan's muffins, then that must be where Snivy went." Dark explained.

"Wow, you have a very keen sense of smell." Cilan commented as they saw Ash and Pikachu getting ready for battle.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash said as Pikachu raced towards Snivy as it jumped up to dodge the attack.

"Ash, Snivy are well known for being quite intelligent and fast. It's not going to be easy to catch." Cilan said from where he, Iris, and Dark were hiding as Snivy finished the muffin and looked at Ash and Pikachu before turning its snout in the air away from them.

"I think that Snivy's making fun of you." Iris said making Ash mad.

"Oh yeah? Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu got his attack ready, but then Snivy winked towards Pikachu and pink hearts flew towards him as Pikachu stopped his attack to look at the hearts that circled around him, then they approached the Mouse Pokemon as Pikachu had hearts in his eyes and he began to sway back and forth like he was dazed or something.

"Hey Pikachu, what happened?" Ash asked as Pikachu kept swaying.

"Pikachu got hit by Attract." Iris observed.

"What's Attract?" Dark asked in confusion.

"It's a move that causes infatuation to the target of the opposite gender." Cilan explained but Dark and Panpour just blinked and tilted their heads in confusion.

"Since Attract worked on Pikachu, Snivy must be a girl." Iris pointed out as two vines emerged from Snivy's neck and then flew towards Pikachu who was still dazed, one slapped Pikachu across the face while the other hit him in the gut, causing him to stumble back a little, as Snivy kept up her Vine Whip attack.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried before he kept Pikachu safe by taking the hit as Vine Whip kept hitting him in the back.

"(Ash!)" Pikachu yelled in concern seeing Ash getting hit with Vine Whip.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. What about you?" Ash said as Snivy's vines were about to strike once more, but then Dark got in front to the vines and blocked them away from Ash, shocking Snivy who kept looking at Ash and Pikachu before she enveloped herself with leaves as Ash turned around to see it before Snivy fled from the area as Ash stood up and Panpour, Iris, and Cilan ran over to Ash and Dark as Panpour got back on Dark's shoulder.

"Aw man, Snivy got away." Ash said in disappointment.

"It's mysterious though. Why are Snivy's moves so advance?" Cilan asked with a finger on his chin like he was think while Pikachu took his place on Ash's shoulder.

"Maybe, I think Snivy left her trainer." Iris said.

"Left her trainer? What do you mean Iris?" Dark asked in confusion while scratching his head with his tail.

"It's like Cilan said, Snivy are known to be extremely smart. I've heard rumors that some Snivy actually leave their trainers if they think that they're not suitable." Iris explained.

"It wouldn't surprise me if this Snivy did just that." Cilan said with his arms crossed but then Ash laughed.

"Is that so? Well that makes me even more excited to catch Snivy, right buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"(Yeah, let's go for it!)" Pikachu replied just as excited as Ash pulled out another Pokeball.

"Pidove, help us find Snivy!" Ash called out his Pidove who flew off.

"Hey Dark, you think you can help us find Snivy by using your nose like you did before?" Ash asked.

"Sure I can Ash." Dark answered with a nod before he began to sniff the air again while running on ahead as Ash, Pikachu, and Panpour followed him with Iris and Cilan following from behind.

* * *

Dark kept running ahead, stopping a couple of times to sniff the air, then he stopped when the scent he was following got strong on a stone plateau as Pidove flew down next to him while Ash, Pikachu, and Panpour finally caught up to Dark and Pidove.

"Did you guys find Snivy?" Ash asked hopefully.

"Yeah, the scent I was following goes up to the top of that plateau." Dark said as he and Pidove pointed at the plateau behind them before Pidove flew up to the top and started to fly around in a circle.

"Alright, I can almost feel Snivy in my grasp." Ash said before he raced off to the stone plateau trying to get Snivy before she fled from the area while Dark was confused but then he shrugged and followed Ash to the plateau.

When Ash and Dark got there, they saw Snivy looking down at them from the top of the plateau.

"Snivy, let me battle you again!" Ash called as Pikachu got pumped up while Snivy glared at Ash from where she was standing, then one of Ash's Pokeballs popped open and Oshawott appeared and pointed at Snivy.

"(I'll battle you this time.)" Oshawott said with determination.

"So you want to battle Snivy? I've got no problem with that." Ash said getting the message as Oshawott nodded in thanks as the three Pokemon and the two trainers walked up the stone hill.

Snivy looked at them in displeasure as she flicked a rock next to her towards the five coming up the hill as Ash, Pikachu, and Oshawott saw the rock coming towards them as they screamed and hid behind a bigger rock for protection, but nobody, except for Panpour, expected Dark to stop the rock as he held it up with his own bare hands, then he grunted and slowly began to break the rock down to several smaller rocks some of them falling to the bottom just as Iris and Cilan finally got there, then Ash, Dark, and their Pokemon got back to climbing to get to Snivy with Oshawott on Ash's head until they finally got to the top where Snivy was.

"Don't think that will stop us!" Ash said as Oshawott got off Ash's head while Ash and Pikachu panted and tried to catch their breath while Snivy saw that Dark and Panpour were just fine.

"I'm gonna catch you for sure. Oshawott, Water Gun!" Ash yelled as Oshawott fired his Water Gun at Snivy who jumped back to dodge, even though some water splashed against her face before she wiped it away then Dark saw iris and Cilan finally getting to the top of the stone plateau.

"A Water-Type against a Grass-Type? Ash, don't use a Pokemon with a Type disadvantage!" Iris yelled as Axew popped out of her hair.

"(Yeah, that's not good!)" Axew yelled in agreement as Ash turned to her.

"Calm down Iris, I know that." Ash said before turning back to the battle.

"Just as I thought, Ash does have a unique taste. Oshawott's enthusiasm must have persuaded Ash to use him." Cilan said with his arms crossed and a smile on his face.

"Well if you ask me, I think he's not thinking ahead at all." Iris said as Axew nodded in agreement, then Snivy summoned the same vines from before and sent them flying towards Oshawott.

"Oshawott, block it with your scalchop!" Ash yelled as Oshawott removed his scalchop from his belly and blocked Snivy's Vine Whip attacks with it.

"Great, now use Razor Shell!" Ash yelled as Oshawott got ready to use Razor Shell, but then Snivy winked towards Oshawott as the same hearts from before began to circle around Oshawott who looked in confusion until the hearts got close to him and he became a victim to Attract.

"Not again!" Ash said as Snivy too advantage of the situation and hit Oshawott multiple times with Vine Whip sending him back over to Ash as he pulled out Oshawott's Pokeball and returned him while Snivy returned her vines and bounded away.

"Snivy's getting away again!" Dark said.

"I don't think so!" Ash yelled before he and Pikachu ran after Snivy with Dark and Panpour following close behind.

"Not again." Iris complained before she and Cilan followed after the two trainers.

Ash and Dark saw that Snivy was now jumping from tree to tree trying to get away as Ash saw Pidove flying next to them and yelled, "Pidove, keep tailing Snivy!" Pidove nodded and flew on ahead.

"Me and Panpour will follow Snivy's lead and jump on the trees to get closer." Dark said before he and Panpour jumped up to the branch of a nearby tree, then they started to jump and swing from branch to branch while trying to get to Snivy while Ash and Pikachu kept running on the ground.

* * *

Later Dark and Panpour were now on top of a tree as Dark tried to sniff out for Snivy.

"(Any luck yet Dark?)" Panpour asked still looking around.

"No, not yet." Dark said before he looked down to see Ash and Pikachu sinking in a mud river while holding on to a vine and being pulled out of there by Iris and Cilan while Panpour saw the same thing as they also saw Snivy watching the whole thing before Dark and Panpour decided to jump down from the tree to help as Dark got in front of Iris, grabbed the vine with only one hand, and pulled once, causing Ash and Pikachu to fly out of the muddy river as they screamed and the two of them slammed into a tree face first.

"Oops, sorry Ash and Pikachu." Dark said while scratching the back of his head sheepishly while Ash and Pikachu got back up, both of them red in the face now because of the impact with the tree.

"Thanks guys." Ash said.

"(Yeah, you've been a real help.)" Pikachu said in agreement while Snivy looked at Ash and Pikachu before she walked away.

"Ash, do you think it's worth all this to catch Snivy?" Cilan asked.

"Of course, this just makes me want to catch her even more!" Ash said with enthusiasm.

"Ash, why don't you just give up? Snivy's gonna be a hard one to catch, so why don't you just give up and accept the fact?" Iris asked with her hands on her hips.

"I have to admit that your determination is outstanding, but the fact is..." Cilan trailed off not wanting to let Ash down completely.

"No way guys, that Snivy's going to be mine!" Ash said as Iris and Cilan looked at each other, then they chuckled then Dark sniffed the air to find Snivy while Pidove was somewhere searching in the air.

"Hey guys, I think I know where to find Snivy, follow me!" Dark said before running off and following his nose while Ash, Pikachu, Panpour, Iris, and Cilan followed him.

* * *

Soon Pidove and Dark saw Snivy ahead of them as Dark yelled, "There she is Ash!"

Ash ran ahead with a Pokeball ready as he said, "Finally, you're gonna be mine!"

"Tepig, I choose you!" Ash cried as he threw the Pokeball in his hand and out came his Tepig while Iris and Cilan finally caught up to Ash and Dark.

"Ash is using Tepig this time." Iris said looking at Tepig.

"Type wise, Ash does have the advantage." Cilan pointed out.

"Ash, be careful of Snivy's Attract, otherwise this battle might end like the last one." Dark said remembering what happened to Pikachu and Oshawott when they got hit by Attract.

"Don't worry about me Dark. Tepig, like Dark said, you need to watch out for Snivy's Attract, so start off with Ember!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired a burst of flames from his snout but Snivy dodged it with ease as well as grace before she winked and sent hearts over to Tepig as they circled around him, then they caused Tepig to saw around like he was dazed as Ash gritted his teeth and returned Tepig.

"Oh man, no matter what we do, we just can't get around Snivy's Attract, almost all of my Pokemon have been hit by it." Ash said while clenching his fist.

"It's not over yet Ash, you still have Pidove." Dark said pointing at Pidove who was flying above them.

"Hey, you're right, good thinking. Pidove, why don't you give it a shot?" Ash said as Pidove nodded and flew down to battle Snivy.

"Nice observation Dark, Flying-Types have the advantage over Grass-Types." Cilan explained.

"But the result might be the same if Pidove can't avoid Attract." Iris pointed out.

"Pidove, Gust!" Ash yelled as Pidove flapped its wings fast sending a gust of wind over to Snivy who dodged the attack gracefully once again before she winked and sent hearts over to Pidove, everyone thought the result would be the same as before, but when the hearts surrounded Pidove, they saw that Pidove still looked the same as before while flying around in a circle and looking down at Snivy.

"Pidove wasn't effected at all." Cilan noted.

"If Attract didn't work, that must mean..." Iris trailed off.

"That Ash's Pidove is a girl!" Cilan finished.

"That's right, otherwise Attract would've worked." Iris said.

"Ash and Dark must've known that, otherwise they wouldn't have agreed to let Pidove have a turn." Cilan said with his arms crossed while he and Iris were looking at the two trainers.

"That's... actually pretty smart. Maybe they're better than I thought." Iris said with a smile.

"Go figure." Ash said while scratching his head as did Dark but he was using his tail while Pikachu and Panpour nodded their heads, then Ash said, "So Pidove's a girl, that's pretty lucky."

"Yeah, I didn't know that either." Dark said making Pikachu and Panpour fall over as Iris and Cilan gave Ash and Dark looks of astonishment.

"You know what, I take it back." Iris said while sweat dropping at Ash and Dark as Snivy decided to attack Pidove with Vine Whip.

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled as Pidove flew away from the vines trying to attack her before Snivy stopped and returned her vines, then she spun around fast with leaves surrounding her before the leaves came after Pidove.

"Dodge it, and use Gust!" Ash yelled as Pidove dodged Snivy's Leaf Storm attack and used Gust again, making Snivy unable to move.

"Now use Air Cutter!" Ash yelled as Pidove fired her Air Cutters on the ground, causing Snivy to cover her eyes.

"Now finish it up with Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pidove quickly flew down and hit Snivy sending her into the ground as Snivy struggled to get up.

"Alright then, go Pokeball!" Ash yelled throwing an empty Pokeball at Snivy, sucking the Pokemon inside, then it shook three times, but Snivy broke free like she did before while she tried to stand up again.

"Oh man, he almost had her." Dark said then Snivy got ready to use Leaf Storm once again and Ash smiled to himself.

"Pidove, counter that Leaf Storm with Air Cutter!" Ash called as Snivy and Pidove fired their attacks that collided with each other while an explosion was created, causing the four trainers to cover their faces, and Pidove was blown back a little in the air while Snivy landed on the ground hard as she grunted and tried to get up, but when she did she looked at Ash and then smiled.

Ash turned his hat around and yelled, "This is gonna end it! Go Pokeball!" then he threw another empty Pokeball at Snivy as it hit her and she got sucked inside, while it shook three times while Ash and Dark leaned closer, then the ball clicked as it stopped shaking while Ash had a big grin on his face as he ran over to the Pokeball as he picked it up.

"Alright, I caught a Snivy!" Ash cried happily with Pikachu and Pidove joining him before Ash brought Snivy back out.

"Good to have you on the team. Now with your help, let's win the Unova League!" Ash told his new Pokemon while Dark laughed happily and Iris and Cilan looked at each other and chuckled as Snivy smiled at her new trainer.

* * *

With the addition of Snivy, Ash now has five Pokemon on his team while Dark still has two. That might change soon enough, the journey is still brand new and there's no telling what's out there. What kind of Pokemon are still out there? Will Dark add a new member to his team? Things heat up and a shocking truth is revealed as the journey continues next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	9. Darmanitan and Full Moon Trouble

Last time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, while taking a break for lunch, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan come across a wild Snivy, one that Ash was determined to catch. Try as he might, most of his Pokemon stood no chance against Snivy's Attract, all except for Pidove who happens to be a girl just like Snivy. Thanks to the help of Pidove, Ash now has a Snivy on his team, and the four travelers can now continue on their way to Nacrene City for Ash and Dark's second Unova Region Gym battle.

Saving Darmanitan From the Bell and Full Moon Trouble

It was a nice sunny day for Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan to stop for lunch, they had everything set up around the edge of the town next to them, the river near them and the bridge not to far from their spot provided a soothing atmosphere as Cilan was making lunch, Iris had something on a plate in her hands, Ash sat with his chin resting on the table while Pikachu and Axew sat next to him, and Dark and Panpour washed their faces in the river for some reason.

"Here you go." Iris said placing her plate on the table filled with berries on sticks as Ash smiled and Dark walked over and smiled as well as Cilan turned to the three.

"You do realize that I'm cooking, right Iris? You don't have to go collect food." Cilan said as Iris picked up one of her Berries on a Stick.

"Doesn't matter to me. As long as it tastes good, I'll eat anything." Iris said taking a bite out of her Berries on a Stick.

"Yeah!" Ash and Dark agreed reaching to get a Berries on a Stick themselves, but Cilan took the plate, making Ash and Dark smash each other in the face, giving each other a bruise on their foreheads, Ash's was bigger than Dark's though.

"Hold on a minute you two, I'm cooking quite a nice vegetable dish for you and Iris, so you two might as well wait for it." Cilan said as Ash and Dark looked at what Cilan was making while Ash begin to drool while rubbing his sore head.

"I don't even like vegetables." Dark thought while Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew protested while looking at the food prepared for the trainers before Cilan happily turned to them while placing the Berries on a Stick plate down to pick up three bowls of Pokemon food.

"Don't worry, I've got food for you three as well. I cooked it using Oran Berries." Cilan said placing the bowls down in front of Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew who happily accepted the food.

"The food's ready!" Cilan reported looking at the dish he mad for the trainers.

"Awesome!" Ash said happily, then they heard rustling in the bushes behind them as they turned to see that out from the bushes came a round and red Pokemon with stubby arms and legs.

"Wow, I wonder what kind of Pokemon is that?" Dark wondered as he took out his Pokedex to find out more.

"Darumaka, the Zen Charm Pokemon. When asleep, even when pushed or pulled, it cannot be knocked over." the Pokedex explained while Darumaka smiled and put a hand behind his head while Iris walked over to Darumaka.

"Wow, check out these eyebrows!" Iris said pulling on Darumaka's eyebrows, annoying the Pokemon before it fired flames at Iris' face as she coughed out smoke once the flames died down before she moved away from Darumaka.

"Darumaka is the type of Pokemon that's awfully persistent." Cilan said as an unknown hand reached up and stole one of the bowls of Pokemon food while no one was looking, but then Pikachu turned around to see his bowl of food gone while Cilan continued, "Because of its persistence, many people think of it as good luck."

"Really?" Ash and Dark asked at the same time, then they heard Pikachu cry.

"(My food, it's gone! Hey, why did you take it?)" Pikachu accused Axew while Panpour kept eating from his bowl while the trainers turned to the three Pokemon.

"(Me? What are you talking about, I didn't do it!)" Axew said while shaking his head.

"Hey, what's the matter Pikachu?" Ash asked while Dark took a glance at the bowls.

"Hey Ash, I think someone took Pikachu's food." Dark said as Pikachu nodded and pointed at Dark telling him he was right.

"(It was him, he stole my food.)" Pikachu said pointing at Axew.

"Axew did it?" Ash asked.

"(No, no, no! I didn't do it! I'm telling you the truth!)" Axew said still shaking his head as Iris was still next to Darumaka.

"Axew said he didn't do it. Are you sure Panpour didn't steal your food instead?" Iris asked as Pikachu was now glaring at Panpour who kept eating from his bowl.

"(I can't believe you would do this Panpour.)" Pikachu said as Panpour stopped to look at Pikachu.

"(What are you talking about?)" Panpour asked in confusion.

"Panpour wouldn't steal from his friends. Did you see anything Darumaka?" Dark asked but everyone saw that Darumaka's eyes were closed and its arms and legs were tucked in its body.

"Is it... asleep?" Ash asked as they approached Darumaka.

"It looks like it to me." Dark said while tilting his head.

"Interesting, A mild Fire-Type Pokemon with an element of surprise." Cilan said with a finger on his chin.

"And you can't knock them over right?" Iris asked before she used her finger to push Darumaka lightly, but then it swayed after Iris moved her finger as Iris and Dark laughed and Iris said, "This is fun."

Once again, the unknown hand reached up to the table, only this time Panpour and Pikachu saw the hand take Axew's bowl as they saw another Darumaka ran behind the bushes near the table as Panpour jumped off the table to confront the Darumaka, Pikachu would've followed him but he was stopped by Axew who turned back around to see that his food was gone as well.

"(Food stealer!)" Axew yelled while pointing an accusing finger at Pikachu.

"(No wait, I can explain Axew...)" Pikachu tried but Axew's claws started to glow.

"(Explain this!)" Axew yelled before he tackled Pikachu as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan heard it and turned to the two wrestling Pokemon before Ash and Iris grabbed a hold of their Pokemon to make them stop.

"What was that all about?" Ash asked before Iris saw that there was only one bowl of Pokemon Food on the table and Panpour was nowhere to be seen.

"Axew's Pokemon food is gone!" Iris said in shock.

"(Yeah, that yellow meanie stole it!)" Axew yelled while pointing at Pikachu.

"(No, it wasn't me, it was that Pokemon!)" Pikachu said while pointing at the sleeping Darumaka.

"Darumaka did it?" Dark asked in confusion as he and Cilan looked at Darumaka.

Before anyone could say anything else, something was happening in the bushes near them that sounded like a fight as the trainers saw that Panpour popped out with another Darumaka that had two bowls of Pokemon food, along with Iris' Berries on Sticks.

"(Here's your food thief.)" Panpour said while pointing at the Darumaka next to him who ran away with the food.

"Hey!" Iris yelled before she, Ash, Dark, and Cilan ran after it while the sleeping Darumaka woke up and jumped into the air and fired its Flamethrower at the ground in front of the trainers while it landed next to the other Darumaka.

"Panpour, we need you buddy!" Dark yelled as Panpour nodded and got in front of the trainers while Ash took out one of his Pokeballs.

"Ohawott, I choose you!" Ash yelled as he called out Oshawott who landed next to Panpour.

"Water Gun!" Ash and Dark yelled as Oshawott and Panpour both fired water from their mouths at the two Darumaka who dodged thanks to the bridge next to them as they sprung up and they each fired their Flamethrower attacks towards Panpour and Oshawott as Oshawott didn't have time to dodge and got hit with the attacks while Panpour was faster and avoided any harm as Ash ran over to Oshawott and picked him up as Dark ran over as well with Panpour jumping on his shoulder.

"Oshawott, are you okay?" Ash asked in concern as the two Darumaka used this as a chance to escape, which they did while Iris and Cilan approached Ash and Dark.

"Poor Oshawott." Iris said sadly while looking at Oshawott.

"Those two Flamethrowers caused a lot of damage even though Oshawott had a Type advantage." Cilan observed.

"We can worry about that later, right now we should get Oshawott to a Pokemon Center." Dark said as the others nodded in agreement.

"There should be one there." Cilan said while pointing at the town they were near to.

"Then let's go." Ash said before they ran over to find a Pokemon Center.

* * *

It was now sunset when they got Oshawott all better at the Pokemon Center as Ash thanked Nurse Joy before he returned Oshawott to his Pokeball.

"This wouldn't have happened if those Darumaka hadn't run off with our food." Iris said surprising Nurse Joy.

"You've met those two?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Yeah, you know them?" Dark asked as Nurse Joy nodded and then looked outside.

"They live inside the town, along with Darmanitan." Nurse Joy said.

"Darmanitan?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"That's right, Darmanitan is the evolved form of Darumaka." Cilan pointed out.

"That's right, originally they had a nice relationship with the townspeople, but that changed after the Darumaka started to steal people's food. The Darumaka always use to hang out with the Darmanitan, but we've only seen the Darumaka steal food." Nurse Joy explained.

"That happened to us too. Oshawott and Panpour tried to stop them and well..." Ash trailed off as Nurse Joy nodded in understanding.

"I guess the Darumaka stole food over and over again because they're really hungry." Dark guessed.

"I'm not so sure about that, they never stole food if they were hungry before." Nurse Joy pointed out.

"Well something must have changed, otherwise they wouldn't steal food from people like that." Cilan said while Dark and Iris saw a tall building outside.

"What's that?" Dark asked pointing at the old tall building.

"That's the Clock Tower, one of the oldest buildings in town. The clock and the bell no longer work though. Because it doesn't work anymore, the town council has decided that it will be torn down soon." Nurse Joy explained sounding sad but then Ash and Dark's stomachs growled making Iris and Cilan chuckle while Pikachu and Panpour just looked at their trainers.

"That's right, we never got to eat because the Darumaka stole our food." Ash said.

"Of course, because of that, we never had lunch, and it's getting close to dinner time." Cilan added.

"Then I guess we'll stay here for the night, and have dinner." Iris said.

"Great idea." Dark happily said with his tail wagging.

* * *

Later, Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew were enjoying their Pokemon food while Ash was eating the food in front of him like Iris and Dark were but Dark was faster than Ash and Iris while Cilan laughed nervously, mainly because he was surprised with how much Dark can eat, then they heard Nurse Joy speak up.

"Attention everyone, there's a Full Moon out tonight." Nurse Joy said happily but Panpour spat out the Pokemon food he was eating for some reason.

"(Full Moon!? Tonight!?)" Panpour asked shaking a bit.

"That means dessert will be Moon Watch Dumplings." Nurse Joy happily continued as everyone in the Pokemon Center cheered then Ash stood up.

"I'll help you hand them out." Ash offered as Dark stood up as well.

"I'll help as well." Dark offered as Nurse Joy lead them, Iris, and Cilan to the room where the dumplings were, but when the doors opened, they saw the two Darumaka from before inside.

"It's the Darumaka!" Dark exclaimed as the Darumaka ran out the window, one of them carrying a bag that had the dumplings inside as Ash pulled out one of his Pokeballs.

"Pidove, I choose you!" Ash yelled bringing out Pidove who appeared outside the Pokemon Center.

"Follow the Darumaka!" Ash said as Pidove nodded before she flew off to find the Darumaka with Ash jumping out the window as Dark jumped after him with their partners on their shoulders while Iris and Cilan soon followed after them.

Pidove was flying in order to find the two Darumaka while Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan ran behind her on foot as they saw the Darumaka go in different directions.

"I'll go this way!" Ash said running in the right direction.

"I'll go with you!" Iris said following Ash.

"I'll go this way then!" Dark said running the left direction.

"Wait for me!" Cilan said following Dark.

Dark saw the Darumaka carrying the food and said, "Hey wait, hold on!" but the Darumaka just turned around to fire a Flamethrower at Dark but Panpour countered Flamethrower with his Water Gun as the two moves cancelled each other out, creating a big smoke cloud, then Dark, Panpour, and Cilan who finally caught up saw that Darumaka escaped thanks to the cloud.

"It got away." Cilan said while breathing heavily due to all the running.

"Hold on Cilan, I'll try to sniff Darumaka out, just like I did with Snivy." Dark said before he began to sniff the air.

"But Dark, I don't think you can find Darumaka that easily just by sniffing it out." Cilan said having his doubts.

"I don't know about that Cilan, I'm picking up something that sells sweet and tasty. *sniff* It must be from the Moon Watch Dumplings they stole." Dark said taking one more sniff before looking ahead.

"I think I know where to find the Darumaka, follow me." Dark said before he began to run again with Cilan running after him as he saw Pidove flying in the same direction that Dark was running with Ash and Iris following her.

* * *

Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan soon found themselves standing in front of the old Clock Tower when Dark saw two red balls hop up the stairs inside before he broke the door down to get inside.

"Ever considered using the door knob?" Ash asked while he, Iris, and Cilan sweat dropped at Dark for what he did to the door before they went inside as well as Dark ran up the steps with Ash, Iris, and Cilan following him.

"Come back here!" Dark yelled still running up the stairs while the Darumaka turned around to see Dark, Ash, Iris, and Cilan running after them as they picked up the pace to try and give them the slip, until everyone reached the end of the stairs with one of the walls lined up with gears for the old clock that doesn't work anymore.

Having a feeling that there was something behind them, Dark quickly turned around to see the two Darumaka hiding in the shadows, then Panpour quickly used dark's hat to cover Dark's eyes after Panpour saw that Full Moon out the window the two Darumaka were under as the Darumaka took the time to get behind Dark.

"Dark behind you!" Iris yelled as the Darumaka fired their Flamethrower attacks at Dark who jumped out of the way with Panpour, but the staircase behind them burst into flames because of the Flamethrower attacks as Dark removed his hat from his eyes to see the fire.

"Panpour, put out the fire!" Dark yelled as Panpour used his Water Gun to put out the fire around the staircase, but when the fire was put out, the staircase leading to the next floor fell in a crumple of burnt wood as the Darumaka unleashed their Flamethrower attacks once again.

"Panpour, counter it with Water Gun!" Dark yelled seeing the attacks.

"Pikachu, help Panpour with Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu ran over to stand next to Panpour as they both fired their Thunderbolt and Water Gun attacks that collided with the two Flamethrower attacks, throwing the Darumaka back a little.

Just when Ash was about to bring out Oshawott, Panpour suddenly felt hot on the inside, then he surprised everyone by firing a jet of hot water at the Darumaka, hitting them directly as they hit the wall then fell to the floor in their sleeping forms as Ash, Iris, and Cilan ran over to Dark, Panpour, and Pikachu.

"Wow Dark, that was awesome! What move did Panpour just used?" Ash asked with a big grin.

"I have no clue." Dark said with a shrug as Cilan decided to shed some light.

"Dark, I think Panpour just learned Scald." Cilan said confusing Ash and Dark.

"What's Scald?" Ash and Dark asked in unison.

"It's almost like Water Gun, only Panpour shoots out boiling hot water at his opponents. It may also leave the target with a burn." Cilan happily explained as Dark happily turned to Panpour.

"Way to go buddy, you learned a new move." Dark said happily.

"(I guess it was because of the heat from their attacks.)" Panpour said while pointing at the Darumaka as everyone turned to the two Pokemon again.

"Look, they're asleep again." Dark said.

"It must be how they recover from attacks like Panpour's." Cilan said as they slowly approached the two sleeping Pokemon who suddenly woke up and jumped into the air and landed behind them ready to fight again, but Dark stepped up.

"Hang on a minute, we don't want to fight you two." Dark said.

"Yeah, we just wanna help." Ash added as the two Darumaka stopped and turned to each other.

"(What do you think, should we believe them?)" the first Darumaka whispered.

"(I don't know, but we should be careful of that Water-Type Pokemon and the kid with the tail.)" the second Darumaka whispered back.

"The only reason we followed you was because we wanted to know why you're stealing food from everyone in town." Cilan said as Ash and Dark carefully walked closer to the Darumaka.

"You want to get to the next floor, right?" Ash asked as the Darumaka quickly nodded their heads while Dark smiled at them.

"Don't worry, we'll get you up there." Dark said before he ran over to the opening to the next floor and jumped up to get to the next floor while Panpour was on his shoulder.

"Hey Dark, what about us? We can't jump the way you can!" Iris yelled as Dark poked his head to see his friends and then he held out his hand.

"Ash, toss me Snivy's Pokeball, I need her help to get you guys up here." Dark said as Ash nodded and tossed Dark Snivy's Pokeball as he caught it with no problem.

"Come on out Snivy." Dark said bringing her out of her Pokeball as Snivy looked at Dark in a bit of confusion.

"Snivy, you think you can use your Vine Whip to help bring the others up here?" Dark asked as Snivy nodded and used her vines to bring Pikachu up first, then the Darumaka, then Ash, followed by Iris, and finally Cilan, soon everyone made it up when they've noticed something.

"Did it get hotter in here all of a sudden?" Iris asked while fanning herself.

"It seems to be coming from the ceiling." Cilan said pointing at the ceiling as everyone saw that there was a big red spot in the middle before they decided to climb up another staircase and soon they saw the source of the heat.

It was a Pokemon located in the center of the room, that looked like some sort of statue glowing red giving off heat as Dark took out his Pokedex to find out more.

"Darmanitan, the Blazing Pokemon, and the evolved form of Darumaka. Darmanitan switches from Standard Mode to Zen Mode when it has little energy left." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away.

"This must be the Darmanitan that hangs out with Darumaka." Ash said looking at Zen Mode Darmanitan.

"If I remember, Standard Mode increases Darmanitan's strength, and Zen Mode increases its psychic abilities." Cilan said while Iris backed away from Darmanitan.

"It's so hot in here because of Darmanitan." Iris said wiping some sweat off her forehead with her sleeve as did Dark and Cilan as they saw the Darumaka open the bag to reveal the Moon Watch Dumplings they stole from the Pokemon Center before they had a light glow around them as they were lifted off the ground and into Darmanitan's opened mouth before it closed it.

"What was that?" Dark asked.

"That was Psychic! And since Darmanitan's eating the food, then that means the Darumaka must have been stealing the food in town for Darmanitan." Ash figured it out as Cilan nodded his head.

"Indeed, and that must be what's causing the heat as well. Due to Darmanitan using Psychic again and again, the heat from its flame sack is leaking out." Cilan explained as Dark saw something next to Darmanitan and decided to find out what it is.

"There's one thing I don't understand though, I thought Darmanitan switches from Zen Mode to Standard Mode after it recovers." Iris pointed out with a frown.

"Yeah, all that eating must have made it recover by now." Cilan agreed.

"So why is it still in Zen Mode?" Ash asked in confusion as Dark came back holding something in his hands.

"Do you guys think that it might have something to do with this?" Dark asked holding up what he was holding as everyone saw that it was a metal hook, one side hooked, the other was straight.

"A hook?" Cilan asked taking the hook from Dark.

"And I think it might have something to do with that as well." Dark said pointing at the bell as the Darumaka pointed to the bell as well as the others saw that something was off.

"The bell, it's floating!" Cilan exclaimed in shock as they looked at Darmanitan again.

"That's it, Darmanitan must be using Psychic to keep the bell in the air." Cilan said.

"But why is it doing that?" Iris asked in confusion.

"Let's see, if the bell were to fall, its weight, as well as the conditions of the floorboards would've caused the whole structure of the Clock Tower to be destroyed. Darmanitan must have caught it in order to prevent that from happening. And when it ran out of energy, it had to switch to Zen Mode and use Psychic to prevent the bell from falling. And in order to keep Darmanitan's strength up, the Darumaka must have stolen from the people in town to make up for its lack of food." Cilan explained as Ash bent down and looked at the Darumaka as Dark looked at the Darumaka as well.

"Is that right?" Ash asked as the Darumaka looked sad as they nodded their heads.

"Although stealing is bad, I'd have to say you two did great. This definitely wouldn't have been easy." Iris said before everyone felt an increase in the room's temperature as they looked at Darmanitan in surprise.

"This is bad, at this rate Darmanitan's heat might burn through the floor!" Cilan yelled sounding surprised.

"In that case, we have to fix the hook and save Darmanitan!" Dark said as Ash, Iris, and Cilan nodded their heads and went on with the plan.

"Tepig, we need you!" Ash and Dark yelled tossing their Pokeballs in the air.

"Pansage, we do too!" Cilan yelled as they got out the Tepig and Pansage out to help, as Pansage tossed the hook into the air.

"Alright, we need you two to use Ember on the hook!" Ash yelled as the two Tepig nodded and fired their Ember attacks on the hook, but it wasn't hot enough to bend it into place as it fell to the ground and Darmanitan released another burst of flames.

"Guys, we need to hurry!" Cilan yelled before the Darumaka stepped up.

"You guys want to help?" Dark asked.

"(Yeah, it's the least we can do.)" the Darumaka said happily.

"Alright then, Pansage, throw the hook!" Cilan yelled as Pansage threw the hook into the air while the Darumaka fired their Flamethrower attacks at it, making it hot enough to bend it into place now.

"Now Pansage, use Bullet Seed!" Cilan yelled as Pansage used his Bullet Seed at the hook, making it form into the letter 'S' while Cilan added, "Now for the final ingredient!"

"Right, Panpour, Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Panpour nodded and used his Water Gun on the hook, cooling it off right away as it fell to the ground before Dark ran over and caught it.

"I've got it!" Dark said holding up the fixed hook.

"Nice work Dark, now you just need to put it back into place." Ash said before Dark's body started to glow and he was lifted off the ground.

"It's Darmanitan's Psychic!" Iris exclaimed as she, Ash, and Cilan watched as Dark floated up towards the bell as Dark hooked the hook into the bar where it was suppose to go, then Dark hung on to the bar using his tail as he tried to reach for the bell.

"Come on Dark, you can do it!" Ash encouraged, but another burst of flames came out of Darmanitan's body and the psychic powers stopped from around the bell, that's when Darmanitan changed from Zen Mode to catch the bell.

"Darmanitan's in Standard Mode now." Cilan said as they saw that Darmanitan was red and round with bog arms, short legs, and with flames for eyebrows as Darmanitan held up the bell for Dark to grab, which he did as Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the Pokemon, except for Panpour who was smiling at Dark, watched in awe as Dark grunted as he put the bell on the hook they fixed as Ash, Iris, Cilan, and all the Pokemon, minus Panpour, couldn't believe the kind of strength that Dark possessed as he let go of the bar he was hanging on and was caught by Darmanitan who giving Dark a big grin and a thumbs-up as Darmanitan put Dark down as the Darumaka happily went over to the four trainers.

"(You've really helped our friend out, thank you very much.)" the Darumaka said happily.

"You're welcome, it was kinda fun." Dark said with a silly laugh while Darmanitan was still grinning at Dark.

* * *

Later, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were walking back over to the Pokemon Center as Pikachu and Panpour saw that Axew poked out of Iris' hair and was looking at the Full Moon.

"(Hey Axew, what are you doing?)" Pikachu asked in curiosity.

"(Nothing, just watching the moon.)" Axew said with a relaxing sigh as Panpour was looking at the Full Moon and then he started to shake in fear for some reason.

"(Why are you looking at the moon?)" Pikachu asked as Axew turned to him.

"(Because it somehow makes me feel relaxed, especially with how full it is tonight.)" Axew said as Dark understood the conversation well.

"Full Moon. Hey, did you guys know that a terrible monster comes out when the moon is full?" Dark asked suddenly as they stopped walking to listen.

"A monster? There's no such thing Dark, that sounds like something that only a little kid would make up. I think the heat from Darmanitan got to your head, let's just get back to the Pokemon Center to get some sleep instead of hearing you make stuff like that up." Iris said not believing it for a second.

"But Iris, I'm not making it up. My mom tried to fight it and she got trampled to death by that monster." Dark said surprising his friends.

"What, your mom was killed while fighting that monster? It must be one savage monster." Cilan said.

Dark nodded, "It was, it killed some of the local Pokemon, smashed my house, and crushed all the trees." now the others were listening carefully.

"Oh no, what did it look like Dark?" Ash asked.

"I'm not sure Ash, you see I slept through the whole thing." Dark said as Panpour kept shaking while the others fell over.

"Wait a minute, how could you sleep when a monster was wreaking your house and fighting your mom?" Iris asked with her arms crossed.

"I don't know, the only thing I remember from that night was my mom telling me about the Full Moon and how I should never look at it." Dark said as Ash, Iris, and Cilan's eyes went wide when they realized something.

"But that had nothing to do with the monster at all. Then again my mom can say some odd things sometimes and..." Dark said before he saw that Ash, Pikachu, Iris, Axew, and Cilan, who was holding on to Panpour back away from Dark and they were shaking a little.

"Hey guys, what are you doing?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Uh nothing." Iris replied but her voice was a little shaky.

"Uh Dark, can I ask you something?" Ash asked his voice was just as shaky as Iris'.

"Sure Ash, what is it?" Dark said with the Full Moon shining behind him.

"That night your mom was killed by that monster, did you happen to look at the Full Moon by any chance?" Ash asked in fear.

"Now that you've mentioned it, I think I caught a glimpse of it right before I fell asleep. Why did you ask?" Dark said but Ash, Iris, and Cilan started to talk to each other quietly.

"I'm getting a bad feeling about this guys." Iris whispered.

"(You're not the only one.)" Axew agreed while shaking.

"You know, I had a feeling that Dark wasn't an ordinary kid when I met him in Professor Juniper's lab, and I guess I was right." Ash whispered as they looked at Dark while shaking a little.

"Well, we don't have any proof yet, so how do we find out for sure?" Cilan asked while trying to stay calm.

"(I guess we could make him look at the Full Moon, then there wouldn't be any doubt.)" Pikachu suggested as Panpour looked at him like he was crazy.

"Yeah, we could make him look at the moon." Ash agreed with Pikachu.

"But what if... What if he does turn into a monster? We could end up just like his mom." Iris said shaking even more now.

"(Yeah, a REALLY bad idea, don't do it.)" Panpour said quickly before Ash decided to speak to Dark.

"Now Dark, whatever you do don't look at the Full Moon. It's right behind you." Ash said pointing at the Full Moon.

"(No, don't point out where it is!)" Panpour yelled but Dark turned around and took a look at the Full Moon making the others scream when they saw it.

"I don't see what the big deal is." Dark said scratching his head with his tail in confusion while the others just looked at Dark.

"Uh Dark, are you okay?" Ash asked carefully as Dark turned to them with a smile on his face.

"Of course I am." Dark said as almost everyone else sighed in relief.

"That was close, I was worried for a minute there." Ash said.

"See? I knew it was just a coincidence." Cilan said but then they saw that Panpour was still shaking.

"(So if it's just a coincidence, then why is Panpour still shaking?)" Pikachu asked in confusion.

Right after Pikachu asked, Dark suddenly went as stiff as a board and his eye pupils changed from black to pink making the others scared again, then they heard Dark's heart beat louder and faster with every beat.

"(Oh man, I knew I should've stopped him from seeing the Full Moon when I had the chance!)" Panpour said in fear.

"Dark, I really don't think this is a good time for jokes." Cilan said getting scared as well.

"Cilan, I don't think he's joking." Ash said before they saw that Dark started to get bulkier, he bulked up so much that his clothes ripped off his body as Ash, Iris, Cilan, Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew were screaming at this point while Dark grew fangs, his mouth stretched out into a snout, his eyes were now blood red, and brown fur started to cover up his body.

Ash, Pikachu, Iris, Axew, Cilan, and Panpour were still screaming when they saw that Dark changed into a giant ape as he roared and began to smash any buildings in his sight with innocent people running away from the giant ape who kept roaring, stomping, and smashing.

"Guys, this is bad! This whole city will be nothing but rubble if Dark doesn't change back!" Ash yelled, but they ran away to avoid being stomped by Dark's big foot, as they ran all the way back to the Pokemon Center as they saw their friend still tearing the town apart before he stomped away for some reason.

"Where's he going?" Iris asked as Ash suddenly ran ahead, only to be stopped by Iris who grabbed his arm and asked, "Ash, what are you doing!?"

"I've gotta try to find a way to change Dark back to normal! If he stays like that, then the entire planet might be destroyed!" Ash yelled.

"(But Ash, how are you gonna do that? The last time Dark change into that beast I had to hide out until morning for him to change back.)" Panpour pointed out as they were now running off to find Great Ape Dark who was at the river ripping trees from their spots and throwing them at the town, destroying more buildings in the process.

"There must be a way to change him back, we can't just hide from him until the sun rises." Ash said watching the ape tear more tree apart and roaring as he destroyed yet another building as he started to beat on his chest.

"Maybe we can try and cut off his tail." Iris suggested.

"(Not possible, it doesn't work, me and some of my Pokemon friends tried to do it the last time he changed into that, but it didn't work.)" Panpour said sadly as everyone around him understood that and they sighed sadly.

"Oh man, now what do we do? It's not like we can just block out the Full Moon to change Dark back to normal." Ash said sadly, but then Cilan's eyes widened as if he just got an idea.

"Ash, that's it, we have to block out the Full Moon!" Cilan said while pointing at the Full Moon.

"Cilan what are you talking about?" Iris asked while sweat dropping.

"Think back to the battle at the Striaton Gym, Dark's Tepig learned not one, but two moves that day, Sunny Day and Flame Charge. All we have to do is heat up this dish by having Tepig use Sunny Day to block the moonlight so Dark will change back! It's the perfect recipe for saving the town!" Cilan explained as Ash and Iris smiled at the plan as Ash was holding on to Dark's Pokebelt.

"Good thinking Cilan, let's do it! Tepig, we need you!" Ash yelled bringing out Dark's Tepig who landed on Ash's head as he looked around for Dark but he had no luck as Iris looked ahead of them for some reason.

"Uh Cilan, do you have any plan to stop Dark from coming after us?" Iris asked.

"No why?" Cilan asked in confusion.

"BECAUSE HE'S COMING AFTER US!" Iris suddenly shouted as they saw that the Great Ape was indeed running towards them as they screamed and began to run away from the Great Ape who kept running after them.

* * *

Not to far away, Darmanitan and the Darumaka heard some monstrous roar from outside as they looked outside to see Ash, Iris, and Cilan running away from what looked like a gigantic killer ape.

"(Oh boy, those guys look like they need help.)" Darmanitan said before he then gave a big grin.

* * *

Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the Pokemon were still running away from Great Ape Dark who was about to catch them, but for some reason the ape glowed and then stopped as Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the Pokemon kept running a little bit before they saw Dark stopping for some reason.

"(He stopped?)" Pikachu asked in confusion.

"Why did he stop?" Iris asked in confusion but then Ash saw that it was the same Darmanitan from before using his Psychic on the Great Ape.

"Darmanitan, oh boy are we glad to see you." Ash said in relief as Darmanitan turned to give them a thumbs-up as he struggled to keep Great Ape Dark still.

"Ash, now's our chance!" Cilan yelled remembering the plan.

"Right! Tepig, use Sunny Day and block the Full Moon!" Ash yelled as Dark's Tepig nodded and jumped off of Ash's head as the ball on the tip of his tail glowed bright summoning a bright light while it blocked the Full Moon as Great Ape Dark started to roar again, and then he started to shrink down, then everyone saw that Dark changed back to his normal self, who was sleeping and was naked as Cilan covered Iris' eyes as Darmanitan and Dark's Tepig were shocked to see that the ape from before was actually Dark before Ash picked up Dark who was still sleeping peacefully.

"(Good, he's back to normal.)" Panpour sighed in relief.

"Let's take him back to the Pokemon Center." Cilan suggested as Iris and Ash nodded in agreement before they walked back over to the Pokemon Center.

"Thanks again Darmanitan!" Ash called to the Blazing Pokemon who just stood there.

* * *

The next day Ash, Iris, and Cilan were ready to go, but they saw that Dark was still sleeping so they watched carefully.

"Well, that was quite a twist in an interesting recipe." Cilan said still looking at Dark.

"Yeah, Dark's just full of surprises." Ash added.

"We'd better not tell him that he stomped his mother to death, it would break his little heart if he found out." Iris said as they shuddered at the thought of Great Ape Dark.

"So what's the big deal, is Dark some kind of alien or something? Besides the hair, the tail, and the mark on his chest, he looks like a human to me." Ash said looking at Dark closely, but then Dark started to wake up as he yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"Good morning sleepy head." Cilan greeted friendly.

"Oh hey guys." Dark said before he looked down to see he was naked under the blankets.

"Huh, what happened? I thought for sure I had clothes on." Dark said looking at himself in confusion.

"You don't remember what happened last night, do you?" Ash asked as Dark just tilted his head, answering the question right away.

"Don't worry Dark, I've made you a copy of your first outfit." Cilan said handing Dark the clothes that he made as Dark had them on right away.

"Alright, now we should get on the road to Nacrene City." Ash said as everyone got ready to leave.

* * *

After having some breakfast, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were now on their way to Nacrene City, but they also saw the damage that was done last night, but then...

"Hang on please!" they turned around to see Nurse Joy running towards them.

"Nurse Joy, what is it?" Dark asked surprised.

"The Clock Tower won't be torn down, the town council revoked its decision." Nurse Joy said with a smile making Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Dark happy.

"So what happens now?" Ash asked.

"Well, the town council decided on something different, the Clock Tower will be maintained and rebuilt." Nurse Joy said.

"That's great!" Iris said happily while Ash, Dark, and Cilan let out happy chuckles.

"And also, because the Darumaka and Darmanitan protected it, the town council stated that they could live there as long as they like." Nurse Joy happily said.

"Brilliant! I have to say that both Pokemon and people will be satisfied with an ending like that, what flavor!" Cilan said happily as they heard something as they turned to the Clock Tower, and with a close look, they saw that Darmanitan and the Darumaka were waving at them on the edge of the Clock Tower.

"Darumaka and Darmanitan, that's great news!" Ash shouted through his cupped hands so that the three Pokemon could hear him.

"Enjoy your new home guys!" Dark shouted with his hands cupped as well as Iris and Cilan followed their lead.

"Now you guys take care of each other!" Iris shouted.

"Until we cross paths again!" Cilan shouted but as they looked closely, they saw that Darmanitan suddenly jumped off of the Clock Tower from building to building, then he landed right in front of them.

"Darmanitan, what is it?" Nurse Joy asked in confusion as Darmanitan turned his attention to Dark and gave him a thumbs-up and a wink as Cilan knew where Darmanitan was going with this.

"You know Dark, I have a feeling that Darmanitan wants to come along with you." Cilan said with a smile surprising the others as Dark turned his attention back to Darmanitan.

"Darmanitan, is that true?" Dark asked as Darmanitan happily nodded and placed one of his big arms around Dark.

"Sure, but do you mind if I battled you first? You seem strong, and I want to see how strong you really are." Dark said with a determined smile as Darmanitan nodded with his fists pumped into the air.

"I know just the spot where you can battle Darmanitan." Nurse Joy said with a smile.

* * *

Soon Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, Nurse Joy, and Darmanitan were standing on a battlefield behind the Pokemon Center with Dark and Panpour standing on one side of the battlefield while Darmanitan was standing on the other side.

"Panpour, since this will be our first catch, I'll use you. Think you can handle that?" Dark asked his first Pokemon.

"(No problem, leave it to me.)" Panpour said before getting ready for battle as was Darmanitan who began by charging towards Panpour with his fist on fire.

"So he's starting off with Fire Punch. Dodge it!" Dark yelled as Panpour jumped up to dodge Darmanitan's Fire Punch.

"Now use Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired his Water Gun at Darmanitan who dug underground to avoid the attack as Panpour landed on the ground just for Darmanitan to grab him when he emerged from underground before he slammed Panpour into the ground.

"Wow, that's one strong Pokemon." Ash commented.

"Yeah, I don't know how Panpour can get out of this." Iris said.

"(You can do it Panpour!)" Pikachu and Axew cheered.

"Now Panpour, use Scratch!" Dark yelled as Panpour charged towards Darmanitan with his paws glowing, but Darmanitan stopped Panpour by using Psychic as he charged towards Panpour with his Fire Punch ready.

"Quick Panpour, use Scald!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired boiling hot water at Darmanitan who didn't expect that move and took it head on, cancelling out his Fire Punch as he landed on his back as he struggled to get up then he changed into Zen Mode.

"Panpour, Scald again!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired his Scald attack at Darmanitan again who fired his Flamethrower as the two attacks collided, but Scald was just a little bit stronger as it pushed back Flamethrower before it completely hit Darmanitan in the face, knocking him on his back and out of Zen Mode.

"Alright, now's my chance." Dark said getting an empty Pokeball ready.

"Go Pokeball!" Dark yelled as he threw the Pokeball as it hit Darmanitan, sucking him inside the ball as it shook three times, and then finally clicked as Dark got all happy and ran over to the Pokeball and picked it up.

"I did it, I've caught my first Pokemon! I've caught a Darmanitan!" Dark said happily with Panpour joining in the celebration.

"Congratulations Dark, you've added a new member to your team." Ash said as he, Iris, and Cilan walked over to Dark while Nurse Joy stayed in her spot as she smiled.

"Yeah, now we can go on to Nacrene City for our second Gym battle." Dark said happily while at the Pokeball containing Darmanitan inside.

* * *

Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan have been through a lot after visiting the town, meeting some friendly Pokemon, Panpour learning a new move, a dangerous secret about Dark was revealed, and now Dark has a new friend in Darmanitan. Now they set their sights on Nacrene City and their second Unova Gym battle. What else will happen along the way? Stay tuned for the next chapter of Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins to find out!


	10. The Bloom is on Axew

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan decided to find out why a couple of Pokemon called Darumaka were stealing food from people in the town they were at, and found out that they were doing it to help Darmanitan in an old Clock Tower. They helped save Darmanitan and the Clock Tower, but nothing could've prepared Ash, Iris, and Cilan when Dark looked at the Full Moon and suddenly changed into a gigantic killer ape with an appetite for destruction. They finally changed Dark back thanks to Tepig's Sunny Day along with help from the Darmanitan they helped before. The real surprise came when Darmanitan decided to go with Dark, Ash, Iris, and Cilan, and soon Dark caught Darmanitan as his own Pokemon after having a friendly battle. Now they continue on their way to Nacrene City, but first, it's time for something unexpected.

The Bloom is on Axew

Ash and Dark were looking at the scene in front of them, Iris to the left with Axew, and Cilan to the right with Pansage, both trainers look like they're ready for battle as Dark was excited for the battle to start, Ash on the other hand was frowning.

"Come on, why can't we join in!?" Ash shouted referring to himself, Dark, Pikachu, and Panpour.

"Because you two would only try to win!" Iris shouted back.

"Isn't that how a battle is suppose to be?" Dark asked in confusion while tilting his head.

"Don't be a couple of kids! Besides Ash would just use Volt Tackle and you would just test out Scald again or bring out Darmanitan, and Axew could seriously get hurt by one of those!" Iris said as Ash suddenly smiled.

"How about this? No Volt Tackle, no Scald, and no bringing out Darmanitan, that sounds fair, right?" Ash asked happily.

"Ash, I think Iris really wants us to just sit back and watch." Dark said making Iris smile at the tailed boy.

"Oh fine." Ash sighed.

"(Why can't I get in on the battle?)" Pikachu asked sounding disappointed.

"(Relax, you'll get your chance sooner or later.)" Panpour said with a smile.

"(Alright, I'm ready to battle!)" Axew said punching the air with his tiny fists.

"Let's get this started!" Iris said to Cilan who nodded.

"Alright Pansage, let's give them what they ordered." Cilan said to his Grass-Type Pokemon.

"(Coming right up.)" Pansage replied while Ash and Dark were confused.

"Ordered, what does he mean?" Ash wondered.

"I don't know, but I'm starting to get hungry." Dark said with a hand on his stomach.

"(You're always hungry.)" Panpour sighed.

"Just watch you two! Axew, use Scratch!" Iris yelled as Axew charged towards Pansage with his claws ready to strike.

"Alright Pansage, use Bullet Seed. A mild flavor if you please." Cilan commanded confusing Ash and Dark again.

"Mild, what does that mean?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail as Pansage walked towards Axew who was still approaching him, then as he fired his Bullet Seed, only one seed flew out of his mouth as Axew stopped when the seed hit him on the head, then Pansage fired a couple more as Axew.

"Axew!" Iris yelled in concern making Ash and Pikachu fall over while Dark and Panpour looked at each other in confusion as Iris ran forward and leaned next to Axew.

"Are you okay?" Iris asked as Axew looked up with tears in his eyes.

"Sorry about that, was that too much?" Cilan asked.

"(Did I use too much power?)" Pansage asked.

"It's fine Axew, just remember to give it your all, after all we are in training." Iris comforted.

"A training battle?" Ash and Dark asked in confusion.

"That's right, they wanted one so that they could get Axew use to battling, so we agreed to use only 20% of our real power." Cilan explained as Pansage demonstrated by hitting his paw with his soft Bullet Seed attack.

"Is that a battle?" Dark asked tilting his head in confusion again.

"Of course it is, a tiny bit of experience piled up will make Axew stronger." Iris said.

"A tiny bit? Battling is much more intense when you go all out and-" Ash began with his arms crossed before Iris interrupted him.

"And thinking like that is why you're such a little kid Ash Ketchum!" Iris shouted causing Ash and Pikachu to fall off the stump they were sitting on.

"Cilan and Pansage are gentlemen, they will adjust their power to suit the needs of others. That's why I didn't ask you or Dark to have a battle with me." Iris said as Cilan and Pansage bowed.

"It's an honor to be a part of Axew's growth, so we were happy to accept." Cilan said.

"(Always happy to help you out Ms. Iris.)" Pansage agreed when Dark realized something.

"You know Iris, this is the first time I've seen you in a Pokemon battle with Axew. You two probably have your own training pace, just like any other Pokemon Trainer." Dark pointed out as he, Panpour, Ash, and Pikachu decided to just watch the battle unfold that's when Axew got up and wiped away the tears to look at Pansage.

"That's the spirit Axew, now use Scratch!" Iris yelled as Axew got his claws ready as he ran towards Pansage.

"Prevent Axew from getting closer!" Cilan said as Pansage grabbed Axew by his horn to prevent him from scratching Pansage.

"Hey, quit messing around and get serious!" Iris yelled in annoyance.

"Oh, but I am being serious, this technique involves stopping the opponent before attacking from a distance, it's quite popular in Gym battles. Here, let me show you. Pansage, Solar Beam!" Cilan said as Pansage took one of his hands off of Axew's horn and held it from a distance as he got ready to launch the attack after it was done charging.

"Iris, doesn't Axew know any other moves?" Dark asked all of a sudden.

"Well yes, but..." Iris hesitated.

"But what? Use the move before Pansage can attack!" Ash said as Dark looked at the battle again.

"Too late for that, look." Dark said pointing at the battle as they saw Pansage firing his Solar Beam at Axew, even though it didn't look like much, only like a glowing piece of string, but it was enough to send Axew toppling back over to Iris before he stood back up on his feet.

"Can Axew use a different move Iris? Come on, I really want to see what Axew can really do. Just once, pretty please?" Dark asked sounding excited with his tail wagging happily behind him while he had a big smile on his face.

"Alright! Axew, use Dragon Rage!" Iris yelled as Axew nodded and raised his head up with a faint glow on his stomach while Ash, Dark, and Cilan watched in amazement as the light got brighter and brighter before Axew opened his mouth with the glow from his stomach there, and just when Axew was about to attack, he suddenly chomped down on the attack causing a big explosion.

The smoke cleared as Axew was now standing in a little crater while Cilan and Pansage were twitching from where they stood, and Ash, Pikachu, Dark, and Panpour were now upside down on where they sat.

"Awesome." Ash groaned.

"That's really powerful Axew." Dark commented standing right side up again with Panpour.

Iris let out a nervous laugh before she said, "Messed it up."

"Messed it up again." Iris added with a sigh.

"Again?" Ash asked in shock while looking at Iris.

"You mean that's not suppose to happen?" Dark asked tilting his head and scratching it with his tail in confusion.

* * *

Later Iris was now sitting on a log of a tree as she sighed, "Dragon Rage still isn't perfect, it annoys me to no end!"

"You can't really call it Dragon Rage, I say we should call it something else." Iris turned to see Ash and Cilan sitting on the log behind her.

"I think it was more like a Dragon Sneeze." Cilan said as Dark jumped up to join them.

"Thank you Cilan, so from now on we should call it Dragon Sneeze." Ash laughed a little as did Cilan, but Dark saw that Iris wasn't laughing along.

"Guys, this is serious, it's really making Iris upset." Dark said.

"He's right, it really bugs me that we can't get Dragon Rage right." Iris sighed.

"My apologies Iris, I was just playing around." Cilan apologized while Ash crossed his arms and looked like he was thinking.

"Doesn't Axew know any other moves?" Ash asked as Iris shook her head.

"Only Scratch and Dragon Rage." Iris said patting Axew on the head.

"I'm kinda confused Iris, what is Dragon Rage suppose to do?" Dark asked.

"Dragon Rage is meant to launch energy towards the opponent, but every time Axew uses it, the energy doesn't fire at the opponents, but they explode." Iris explained solemnly as Axew hopped off her lap as Pikachu and Panpour followed him off the log as the four trainers watched the three Pokemon run towards an apple tree nearby as Iris continued, "I thought that taking it slow would be the best way for Axew to learn. I know that it'll take a lot of time until Axew can fully evolve into Haxorus."

They continue to watch as Axew climbed up a tree and got two apples off of it, and put them on his tusks before he went down from the tree and back over to the four trainers until he reached Iris as he took the apples off his tusks and handed one to Iris and then handed the other one to Dark as they took the apples from Axew and then took a bite out of them.

"Thanks Axew, it's delicious." Iris said with a smile.

"Yes, thank you Axew." Dark happily said munching on the apple as Axew jumped off the log once more while Pikachu and Panpour followed him.

"Your praise must have made Axew want to go and get more fruit." Cilan chuckled.

"Make sure you stay close!" Iris called to Axew.

"I've gotta say Iris, Axew's power is really impressive." Ash said.

"He's right, you must have worked really hard to get Axew that strong. I have no doubt that Axew will get Dragon Rage right with a little special training." Dark said with a silly smile.

"That explosion was just Axew's raw power being released, anyone can tell that Axew's strong." Cilan added as Iris smile at her three friends.

"Thanks guys." Iris said.

"Yeah, so you should battle with us now." Ash said with enthusiasm while pointing at himself and placing an arm around Dark.

"I have no problem with that, Axew seems to be ready for it. Besides, Ash and Dark certainly are unique trainers, I'd have to say that having a battle with either one of them may expose you to many different types of battling flavors." Cilan said as Iris sighed and then Dark thought about something.

"Hey Iris, you never told us where you got Axew in the first place." Dark said as Iris hesitated a little before she spoke.

"It was a gift." Iris said.

"A gift? From who?" Cilan asked.

"An elder." Iris answered.

"An elder?" Ash repeated as Iris nodded.

"From my hometown. You see guys, my hometown is a small village that specializes in raising Dragon-Type Pokemon." Iris started.

"When the elder gave me Axew, who only hatched a few days ago when I went to see her, she said that I have to understand Axew's heart to make him stronger, not only to help Axew grow into Haxorus, but to help me grow as well. It's been a while since we started on our journey and it dawned on me that I have to do something to understand Axew and quickly. That's why I had that battle with you Cilan." Iris finished explaining as Cilan nodded at her.

"So, is that Elder lady your grandma or something?" Ash asked.

"No, she's the leader of our village, isn't that right Axew?" Iris asked, but she realized that Axew, Pikachu, and Panpour were not with them.

"I'll go on and find them." Dark said before he jumped off the log and on to the branch of the tree next to them as he jumped from branch to branch to find Panpour, Pikachu, and Axew.

* * *

Dark finally found Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew as he saw that Axew was standing on a thick branch while Pikachu and Panpour were watching carefully.

"(Careful Axew, that branch doesn't look pretty safe.)" Pikachu warned.

"(It's okay, now to get the apple.)" Axew said trying to reach for the apple.

"(You know, there are plenty of apples around us, let's just forget about that one and look for another one.)" Panpour said not wanting Axew to get hurt, that's when Dark reached out and grabbed the apple for Axew.

"Is this what you wanted?" Dark asked as Axew happily took the apple, but then Axew slipped off the branch and began to fall to the ground.

"Axew!" Dark cried in concern as Axew landed on the ground, but when Axew opened his eyes, he saw two purple antennas next to him as a cry of a Pokemon got everyone's attention as Dark, Panpour, and Pikachu saw that Axew was really on top of a big purple bug Pokemon who was trying to shake Axew off its head as Dark looked it up on the Pokedex.

"Scolipede, the Megapede Pokemon. Scolipede catches its opponents with great speed and attacks using horns on its head. Scolipede is highly aggressive and will not give up until victorious." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away.

"We've gotta find a way to save Axew. Pikachu, try to use Iron Tail, that might be enough to shake Axew loose from Scolipede." Dark said as Pikachu nodded, jumped off the tree and got his Iron Tail ready, but all it did was made Pikachu bounce off Pikachu's back while Dark and Panpour jumped off the tree and Dark caught Pikachu before he could hit the tree, then they heard heavy footsteps.

"(I really don't like the sound of that.)" Panpour said before they looked up to see that Scolipede was charging towards them with Axew still on its head as Pikachu and Panpour ran from Scolipede, but Dark jumped up and on to Scolipede's back to try and get to Axew who was really scared at this point.

"It's okay Axew, I'll get you down." Dark said but he saw that Axew was building up power for Dragon Rage, but just like before, it failed, resulting in another big explosion.

* * *

Ash, Iris, and Cilan heard an explosion and then they saw smoke coming from the forest.

"That must be Axew's Dragon Sneeze!" Ash exclaimed making Iris glare at him.

"That's not funny!" Iris yelled as they ran off to find out what that smoke was, but then they stopped when they saw Pikachu and Panpour running over to them.

"Pikachu, Panpour, what happened? Where are Dark and Axew?" Ash asked.

"(We were up in an apple tree, and Axew was trying to get an apple from the tree, but the branch wasn't strong enough, so he fell on top of a big Pokemon! The Pokedex described it to be a Pokemon named Scolipede! We tried to get Axew out, but that only made Scolipede angry, as for Dark, he must be on Scolipede to get Axew off!)" Pikachu and Panpour said but they were speaking too fast, so Ash, Iris, and Cilan couldn't understand them well, that's when they heard Axew's cry for help as they looked ahead to see Scolipede running towards them with Dark and Axew still on it.

"What are you two doing up there?" Iris asked sounding surprised.

"Dark, get down from there, that's dangerous!" Ash yelled just as Scolipede sprayed purple stuff from its mouth as it hit a rock next to Ash as it began to dissolve, shocking Ash.

"That's Toxic!" Cilan exclaimed.

"Easy Scolipede, we mean no harm! We're sorry that we woke you up!" Dark yelled, but Scolipede shook Dark off as he landed on his feet next to Ash, Iris, and Cilan then Scolipede ran towards the four trainers again.

Iris pulled out another Pokeball and said, "I'll save you Axew!"

"You had another Pokeball?" Ash asked as he, Dark, and Cilan were looking at the Pokeball with a surprised look on their faces as Iris hesitated to throw the ball.

"What are you waiting for, throw it!" Ash yelled.

"Alright then, Excadrill, let's go!" Iris yelled as she threw the Pokeball and out of it came what looks like a log with a sharp tip as it crashed into the ground.

"What in the world is that?" Cilan asked looking at what might be Excadrill.

"I guess you're still in a bad mood." Iris sighed as Ash pulled his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Excadrill, the Subterrene Pokemon, and the evolved form of Drilbur. Excadrill can dig maze-like underground tunnels for over 100 meters and is powerful enough to cut through thick iron plates using its steel claws." the Pokedex explained as Ash and Dark looked back and forth between the Pokemon in front of them and what the Pokedex was showing them.

"It doesn't look like it does in the Pokedex." Ash said.

"That's because it assumes this form when it's digging underneath the ground." Cilan said.

"If that's so, then why does it look like that now?" Dark asked in confusion as Iris bent over to Excadrill and placed her hands together.

"Please Excadrill, you have to help." Iris pleaded, but nothing happened, then she angrily rose to her feet and glared at Scolipede as she said, "Fine, I'll have to do it. You guys make sure Scolipede doesn't go anywhere!"

"Are you sure?" Cilan asked.

"It's not like I can do anything else! This is part of my growth that Elder told me about, it's my duty to do this!" Iris said as Ash, Dark, and Cilan smiled at her.

"I'll try to slow it down." Dark said getting ready to stop Scolipede but Cilan stopped him.

"Wait a minute Dark, Scolipede has the ability Poison Point, if you come into contact with Scolipede you'll be poisoned." Cilan said not wanting anything to happen to his friend.

"But Axew's on top of Scolipede, and he only looks scared to me, so that Scolipede must have a different ability. You guys keep Scolipede from where you're standing, I'll try to slow him down myself, long enough for Iris to save Axew." Dark said before he ran forward at the charging Scolipede, surprising his friends when they saw that Scolipede was struggling to move forward when Dark placed his hands on the front of it as Scolipede was getting ready to fire Toxic at Dark.

"Pansage, use Solar Beam, stop Scolipede from using Toxic!" Cilan commanded bringing Pansage out as he began to charge up the attack while Ash brought out one of his own Pokeballs.

"Tepig, I choose you!" Ash yelled bringing his Tepig out as he stood next to Pikachu and Panpour.

"Tepig, use Ember, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt, and Panpour, use Water Gun, cover Dark!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired flames from his snout, Pikachu fired his Thunderbolt, and Panpour fired water from his mouth as the three attacks hit Scolipede in the middle right above Dark.

"Now Pansage, fire!" Cilan yelled as Pansage fired his Solar Beam at Scolipede.

"Now Iris, go!" Dark grunted as Iris got up to a tree before she jumped and grabbed Axew by the leg as she landed on the ground safely as Dark let go of Scolipede to look at Iris and Axew.

"Thank goodness." Iris said hugging Axew who hugged back.

"Thanks Pansage." Cilan said returning Pansage.

"You were awesome Tepig." Ash said returning Tepig as well.

"I was so worried about you." Iris said holding Axew closer, then they saw that Scolipede was now in front of them and Dark as it glared at them while Iris and Axew were now behind Dark.

"I guess it's still angry." Dark said as Scolipede used its back legs, but it also kicked Excadrill who hit a rock, causing him to soar into the air until he hit the ground as Scolipede, Iris, and Dark turned at the sound of the impact as Excadrill began to spin fast as he dug underground and then reappeared underneath Scolipede as Excadrill got out of his digging form and the two Pokemon were now glaring at each other, ready to fight.

"Hey Iris, maybe you should tell Excadrill what attack he should use." Dark said excited to see Excadrill in action while Ash and Cilan walked over to stand next to them.

"Why should I? Excadrill just ignores me." Iris sighed.

"WHAT!?" Ash, Dark, and Cilan yelled in shock while backing away as Scolipede fired its Toxic attack at Excadrill who just smacked it away with his metal claws.

"Excadrill deflected Toxic!" Ash said surprised by what happened.

"Since Excadrill is a Steel-Type, Poison-Type moves won't have any effect." Cilan said as Excadrill got back into his digging form as he charged after Scolipede while spinning fast as he smashed into Scolipede.

"Wow, that's so cool." Ash and Dark said in awe.

"I have to say that Excadrill's quite the fighter. Underneath all of his power, there's definitely a hint of love for battling." Cilan evaluated as Iris glanced at him when Scolipede then ran towards Excadrill who just lowered his head as Scolipede ran into Excadrill's head when he suddenly launched Scolipede high into the air until they couldn't see it anymore.

"Sorry Scolipede!" Dark cried out to the flying Pokemon.

"Hope you can forgive us!" Iris added as Excadrill let out a roar of victory before he went back to his digging form surprising Ash, Dark, and Cilan, but Iris was use to it by now as she returned Excadrill to his Pokeball.

"Excadrill's the same. But I know that the two of us are gonna battle as a team someday." Iris said while looking at the sky.

"You know, battling takes time to perfect. People move at different paces to perfect things, so I think that you and Axew should move at your own pace to complete your goals, the same goes for Excadrill of course." Cilan advised as Iris smiled at him as Axew happily agreed.

"Alright then, what do you say we go ahead and have our battle now?" Ash asked Iris with enthusiasm with Pikachu looking just as excited as Dark spoke up.

"Ash, Iris and Axew might not want to battle right now, they're gonna to work at their own pace like Cilan suggested. Have a battle with me if you want, it might help with our upcoming battle at the Nacrene City Gym." Dark said.

"Why don't you two just battle Pikachu and Panpour if you want to so badly?" Iris joked, but she didn't count on this answer.

"Sounds like a great idea!" Ash said.

"Yeah, I was gonna say go for a regular Pokemon battle, but I like your idea better Iris." Dark said as Iris and Cilan's jaws dropped as Ash and Dark went to a clearing with Pikachu and Panpour.

"Are they serious?" Iris asked while sweat dropping.

"You can't say that they're ordinary at all." Cilan remarked as Ash, Dark, Pikachu, and Panpour got ready.

"Oh boy, just like back at home." Dark said happily.

"Okay Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu fired his Thunderbolt at Ash and Dark who were twitching a little with some sparks dancing around their bodies, but Dark was doing a little better than Ash.

"Now Panpour, use Scald!" Dark yelled.

"Now use Volt Tackle Pikachu!" Ash yelled as he and Dark ran forward while Pikachu came charging towards them with Volt Tackle ready and Panpour fired boiling hot water from his mouth as the attacks hit Ash and Dark, but only Ash was sent flying into a tree while Dark stood his ground while Pikachu and Panpour called off their attacks and gave each other a high-paw.

"Not bad, but we're just getting started." Dark said his arms still a little red from where the hot water got him while Ash managed to get up as they continued their battle while Iris and Cilan sweat dropped at the two trainers and their Pokemon.

"Is it really necessary to take it this far?" Iris asked.

"They can't help it, that's who those four are." Cilan shrugged his shoulders as they continued to watch the battle unfold.

* * *

Their journey to Nacrene City continues and they meet a person that Ash and Dark know from Nuvema Town next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	11. Rematch at the Battle Club

Last time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, the gang decided to have a little training before they continued on their way to Nacrene City, that's when Iris told Ash, Dark, and Cilan how she got Axew in the first place. She also had another Pokemon with her named Excadrill, but he didn't listen to what she told him to do during a battle with an angry Scolipede. Now the gang continues on their way to Nacrene City for Ash and Dark's second Unova Gym battle, but first they need a little more training.

Rematch at the Battle Club

Ash was running through the streets of Luxuria Town with Pikachu on his shoulder while Dark was right next to him with Panpour on his shoulder, until they spotted something next to them.

"There it is!" Ash said as he, Pikachu, Dark, and Panpour saw a familiar looking building, the Battle Club.

"This will be the best way to train for the Nacrene City Gym." Dark said happily before they went in the Battle Club to check what kind of trainers are in as well, that's when Iris and Cilan came into the Battle Club while panting.

"Finally caught up." Cilan said still panting.

"Ash, Dark, what's the big rush anyway? The Battle Club isn't going anywhere." Iris panted.

"Oops, sorry." Dark said scratching the back of his head before Ash cried out in surprise, making his three traveling friends jump.

"What are you shouting for?" Dark asked in confusion before he saw what Ash was looking at as were Iris and Cilan.

"I didn't think I'd find Trip at the Battle Club." Ash said as Dark and Panpour saw that it was definitely Trip from Nuvema Town on the screen.

"Trip?" Iris asked not knowing who Trip is.

"He's a Pokemon Trainer, I met him before I met Ash in Professor Juniper's Lab." Dark told Iris.

"It's quite a surprise." Cilan said as they turned to him.

"You know him?" Ash asked in curiosity.

"He challenged the Striaton Gym, like you two did, and he even won himself the Trio Badge." Cilan informed.

"He's that good?" Iris asked.

"Yeah, I battled him at Professor Juniper's lab, it was my first battle in the Unova Region, but now it's time for a rematch!" Ash said with enthusiasm.

"(I'll show him what I'm really made of!)" Pikachu said with the same enthusiasm as Ash.

"And maybe I can get Trip to battle me next." Dark said as Panpour nodded his head.

"Well then you've come to the right place for all your battling needs." the four trainers turned to see a familiar looking face standing in front of them, Don George.

"So you want to battle with Trip, huh? What's your name?" Don George asked.

"Uh, Ash." Ash said sounding a bit confused.

"Excuse me sir, but didn't we meet back in Accumula Town?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Accumula Town? Oh, you must be talking about my cousin." Don George said before he pointed at a big picture behind him showing different men, all identical, Don George pointed at one of the men and said, "That there's the Don George you've already met in Accumula Town, and this is me, the Don George of Luxuria Town."

"(All identical, just like Nurse Joy.)" Panpour said while sweat dropping.

"(It's the same for Officer Jenny, trust me.)" Pikachu said while sweat dropping.

"I'll go ahead and contact Trip for you, I'll call him on the X-transceiver." Don George said going to a terminal and pushing some buttons on it.

"A what?" Ash and Dark asked in confusion.

"It's a device that allows a person to talk to another anywhere, it's like a phone on your wrist." Don George explained as a ringing sound was heard, then Trip's face came up on the screen.

"Hey there Trip, I have a challenger for you here." Don George said before he moved out of the way as Ash looked at the screen with Dark standing next to him.

"Hi there Trip, good to see you again!" Ash happily greeted.

"Hi Trip." Dark happily waved while Trip was surprised to see both Ash and Dark.

"Ash, Dark, is that you? You two are here in Luxuria Town?" Trip asked before Ash and Dark were pushed out of the way by Iris.

"That's right, they're traveling with us, and I'm Iris, nice to meet you Trip." Iris said with a smile.

"(Hey there.)" Axew happily waved from her hair.

"Good to see that you're doing fine Trip." Cilan said standing next to Iris surprising Trip a little more.

"Cilan, from the Striaton Gym!?" Trip asked sounding surprised before Dark came back.

"Yeah, Cilan and Iris are traveling with me and Ash. So Trip, you want to have a battle with Ash?" Dark asked with a silly smile on his face while wagging his tail a little.

"No thanks, there's no point in battling him again. After all, his Pikachu lost to my Snivy after I first got it." Trip said before Ash pushed the others out of the way.

"That's only because Pikachu couldn't use his Electric-Type moves thanks to Zekrom!" Ash pointed out as Cilan's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Zekrom, the legendary Pokemon?" Cilan asked Dark and Iris who nodded.

"Yep, in Nuvema Town." Iris answered.

"Not only that, but when Zekrom was above Professor Juniper's lab, I heard a faint voice telling me something about a strong will and strong ideals." Dark said silently, but Trip still heard that.

"Strong ideals you say?" Ash and the others turned to see Trip in front of the Battle Club doors as Trip continued with, "Just when I thought you couldn't get stranger."

"Hey, since you're here, you want to have a battle now?" Ash asked eagerly.

Trip shrugged, "Sure, if it's a six-on-six battle, I guess I'll battle you."

"Sorry Trip, can't go six-on-six, I only have five Pokemon." Ash said rubbing the back of his head while laughing a little.

"Only five?" Trip asked before he turned to Dark and asked, "Do you have any other Pokemon other than Panpour?"

"Yeah, I have Tepig and Darmanitan." Dark answered happily.

"Only those three?" Trip asked.

"Yeah, but me and Dark each have one badge. Dark let me see your Trio Badge for a sec." Ash said as he pulled out his Trio Badge while Dark handed his Trio Badge to Ash who showed them to Trip.

"One, each of you? Big deal, I've got two." Trip smirked surprising Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan.

"Two!? Really!?" Ash asked surprised while Pikachu and Panpour were just as surprised.

"It's basic Ash. Don George, I'm taking a pass on this one." Trip said as Ash's face fell in disappointment.

"Are you sure?" Don George asked as Trip nodded his head.

"There's no point, with only one badge and five Pokemon with Ash, there's no reason to have a battle." Trip said sounding bored, but then Trip looked at Dark and then said, "Then again, I think I might change my mind, but after I have a battle with Dark first."

"But Trip, I only have three Pokemon, that's two less than what Ash has." Dark pointed out.

"Yeah, but when I met you in Nuvema Town, you didn't even had a clue on what a Pokemon battle was. Since you're on this journey with Ash, I want to see what you've learned, plus I've heard that Darmanitan is not an easy Pokemon to catch. How about it, want to go three-on-three?" Trip asked as Dark thought about it and then he smiled.

"Trip, I accept, but I'm doing it for both me and Ash." Dark said while pointing at Ash.

Trip shrugged, "Fine by me, if you want to battle for someone from the boonies, go ahead, as long as I can see what you've learned on your journey."

"(Why is he always hard on Ash like that?)" Panpour asked in annoyance.

"Sir, please be the ref for our three-on-three battle." Trip said to Don George who nodded.

"You know Trip, you might be surprised with what Dark can do." Ash said with a hand on Dark's shoulder.

"I'll believe it when I see it." Trip said as they walked over to the battlefield.

* * *

Soon, Ash, Iris, and Cilan were waiting for the battle between Trip and Dark to start with Don George on the sidelines as the ref.

"The 3-on-3 battle between Trip and Dark will now start. Substitutions are allowed and only three Pokemon are to be used. The winner is decided when three Pokemon on either side can no longer battle. Now BEGIN!" Don George said announcing the battle to begin.

"Tranquill, I need your assistance!" Trip yelled as he threw a Pokeball and out of it came a Pokemon that looks like a bigger pigeon than Pidove.

"Cool, what kind of Pokemon is that?" Dark asked as he pulled out his Pokedex to find out more.

"Tranquill, the Wild Pigeon Pokemon, and the evolved form of Pidove. It can return to its trainer's location regardless of the distance separating them. Many people believe that, deep in the forest where Tranquill live, there is a peaceful place where there is no war." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away and pulled out his own Pokeball.

"Wow, that looks like a fast bird, so I'll start this off with Tepig!" Dark yelled throwing the Pokeball in his hand as Tepig was brought out ready for battle.

"Wait a minute, isn't that-" Trip started before Ash interrupted him.

"Yeah, that's the Tepig from Professor Juniper's lab." Ash said as Tepig blew some flames out his snout ready for battle.

"He's right, now Tepig, use Ember!" Dark yelled as Tepig shot small flames out his snout at Tranquill.

"Dodge it, and then use Aerial Ace!" Trip yelled as Tranquill quickly flew away from Tepig's Ember attack and then flew fast towards Tepig, hitting him in the front, and then came back to hit Tepig from behind as Tepig looked like he was in so much pain.

"Tepig, are you okay?" Dark asked in concern as Tepig got back up and nodded.

"You have a strong Tranquill Trip." Dark commented.

"Thanks, my Tranquill's special ability is Super Luck." Trip said confusing Ash and Dark.

"Super Luck?" Ash asked in confusion.

"It's an ability that raises the chance of a critical hit occurring drastically." Cilan explained not taking his eyes off the battlefield as Dark heard Cilan.

"I see, if that's the case, I'll switch Pokemon. Tepig, return." Dark said returning Tepig to his Pokeball.

"Who are you gonna use now?" Trip asked with his arms crossed.

"Panpour, give it a go buddy." Dark said making Panpour happy.

"(Alright, my time to shine!)" Panpour said taking his place on the battlefield.

"First a Fire-Type, now a Water-Type? That's pretty straight forward." Trip smirked.

"I'll show you what me and Panpour can do! Now Panpour, use Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired water at Tranquill.

"Double Team!" Trip yelled as Tranquill's body glowed and then other Tranquill appeared out of nowhere as Panpour's Water Gun made a fake Tranquill vanish.

"Now use Work Up!" Trip yelled as Tranquill's body glowed again, getting pumped up.

"Work Up?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"It's an move that raises a Pokemon's attack power." Cilan explained.

"Now use Aerial Ace!" Trip yelled as Tranquill flew fast towards Panpour while the fake Tranquills vanished.

"Panpour, wait for it buddy." Dark said as Panpour nodded and got his guard up.

"What's he doing? If Panpour gets hit, he'll get knocked out just like that!" Iris yelled sounding concerned as Tranquill was quickly getting closer.

"Now Panpour, grab onto Tranquill!" Dark yelled as Panpour just barely avoided Tranquill's beak and grabbed the Wild Pigeon Pokemon's leg as Tranquill flew up, surprising the others as Panpour got on Tranquill's back.

"Tranquill, try to shake Panpour off!" Trip yelled as Tranquill nodded and flew all around the room to try and get Panpour off.

Panpour was having some fun with it, then he yelled, "(Turn right!)" causing Tranquill to turn right, then Panpour yelled, "(No, wait, turn left!)" thus making Tranquill turn left before Panpour yelled, "(Now go faster!)" suddenly Panpour looked bored and then he asked, "(Are we there yet?)"

"(Wise guy, get off!)" Tranquill yelled while trying to shake Panpour off, but the Spray Pokemon was still on Tranquill's back.

Panpour got on Tranquill's neck to look at Tranquill's face, then he asked, "(Hey, has anyone ever told you that you're really intense when you fly?)"

"(I can't see, get off!)" Tranquill sounding very mad right about now.

"(Can you speak up? It's hard to hear with all this wing flapping.)" Panpour said as Tranquill shook his body once more, finally getting Panpour off his back, however Panpour still held on to Tranquill's leg and then got back on Tranquill's back.

"What's with that crazy Pokemon?" Trip asked sounding a bit mad as Panpour laughed triumphantly as Dark laughed at what the two Pokemon were doing.

Panpour suddenly used his paws to cover Tranquill's eyes, and then he sounded like an instructor as he said, "(A good flyer trusts his instincts.)"

"(Hey, knock it off you crazy monkey! In case you've forgotten, we're in the middle of a battle! Now take your paws off my eyes and get off my back so we can-)" Tranquill didn't have a chance to finish before Panpour jumped off of Tranquill just before Tranquill crashed into a wall as he slowly slid down to the floor.

"Tranquill, get up!" Trip yelled as Tranquill slowly got back up, and boy was he mad at Panpour.

"(Wow, you have terrible instincts.)" Panpour said while slowly shaking his head.

"(Why you little!)" Tranquill growled.

"Use Aerial Ace!" Trip yelled as Tranquill smirked and flew fast towards Panpour who was carelessly jumping out of the way.

"Panpour, use Scald!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired boiling hot water at Tranquil, making the Pokemon slam into another wall, and then knocking him out.

"Tranquill is unable to battle, Panpour wins!" Don George declared as Trip returned Tranquill to the Pokeball and Pikachu and Axew were still laughing because of what Panpour did.

"I'll admit, that Panpour's tricky, but let's see how he fairs against my Servine!" Trip yelled bringing out Servine from his Pokeball.

"Cool, I guess Snivy evolved." Ash commented.

"Yeah, I've trained my Snivy and then he evolved, basic stuff." Trip said.

"Evolve or not, we can still win, right Panpour?" Dark asked his first Pokemon.

"(Count on it)" Panpour said with a thumbs-up.

"Dark, I really think you should switch!" Iris said.

"Why should I switch Iris?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Why? Because Grass-Types like Servine have the advantage over Water-Types like Panpour! Didn't you figure it out when Ash used Oshawott against Cilan's Pansage!?" Iris yelled.

"Well Panpour knows more than Water-Type moves Iris, watch this. Panpour, use Scratch!" Dark yelled as Panpour ran towards Servine with his paws ready for scratching.

"Counter it with Cut!" Trip yelled as Servine's arm glowed as the two attacks collided with each other, then Servine and Panpour backed away from each other.

"Now use Leaf Tornado!" Trip yelled as Servine spun around and used his tail to summon a tornado of leaves as it hit Panpour who got caught in the tornado and was lifted into the air while spinning around, before he was flung back down to the ground hard and Panpour looked very injured as he struggled to get back up.

"Come on Panpour, get up, you can do it!" Dark encouraged as Panpour slowly got back up, but he struggled to stay on his feet.

"(I'm not going down that easy!)" Panpour grunted.

"That's the spirit Panpour, now use Scratch!" Dark yelled as Panpour charged towards Servine with his Scratch attack ready.

"Counter with Cut once more!" Trip yelled as Servine got Cut ready once more, but unlike last time, Servine dodged Scratch and knocked Panpour out with a powerful Cut attack as Panpour landed on the ground.

"Panpour is unable to battle, Servine wins!" Don George declared as Dark ran over to pick up Panpour.

"You okay buddy?" Dark asked as Panpour just nodded his head.

"I told him to switch, what a kid." Iris sighed while slowly shaking her head.

"Your Servine's strong Trip, now I know the perfect Pokemon to go up against him. Tepig, come on back out!" Dark yelled as he brought Tepig back out, but he was still feeling a little pain from Tranquill's Aerial Ace.

"Tepig? But he still hasn't recovered from Tranquill's attack. Why didn't Dark use Darmanitan?" Iris asked while Cilan put his hand under his chin in a thinking pose.

"This must be part of Dark's strategy, he must have some sort of plan." Cilan said.

"Dark, Tepig, you can do it!" Ash cheered with Pikachu and Axew joining him.

"Now Tepig, use Flame Charge!" Dark yelled as Tepig stomped on the ground a few times before he charged towards Servine with flames around his body.

"Counter it with Cut!" Trip yelled as Servine got Cut ready, but Flame Charge was just a little too powerful and sent Servine skidding back a few inches.

"Try Leaf Tornado!" Trip yelled as Servine got his Leaf Tornado ready as he sucked Tepig in the tornado and spun him around.

"That's what I thought you would do." Dark said with a silly smile.

"What!?" Trip asked in shock.

"Tepig, use the spin of the tornado to your advantage! First use Sunny Day, and then follow it up with Ember!" Dark yelled as Tepig nodded and his tail glowed, intensifying the sunlight in the room as Tepig kept spinning as he fired his Ember attack, burning the leaves on the tornado as the flames traveled down the tornado until they hit Servine's tail, causing him to yell in pain as he cancelled his attack while Tepig landed on his feet.

"Now use Flame Charge!" Dark yelled as Tepig charged towards Servine with flames surrounding his body.

"Quick, dodge it Servine!" Trip yelled as Servine quickly dodged the attack.

"Keep it up Tepig, but this time run around Servine!" Dark yelled as Tepig ran around Servine while keeping Flame Charge going, going faster and faster by the minute.

"Of course, that's what Dark had in mind all along." Cilan said with a smile as Ash, Iris, Pikachu, and Axew looked at him in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked in confusion.

"You see, Flame Charge increases the Pokemon's speed every time you use it, so Dark's using that to confuse Servine to the point where he'll get beyond dizzy, now that's a hot and spicy recipe." Cilan said as Servine was getting very dizzy and was swaying back and forth.

"Good, now let him have it Tepig!" Dark yelled as Tepig rammed into Servine with Flame Charge.

"Quick Servine, get up and use Cut!" Trip yelled as Servine slowly got back up and charged towards Tepig with Cut ready.

"Tepig, use Ember!" Dark yelled as Tepig fired small flames at Servine who got pushed back because Sunny Day was still in effect, but it was enough to knock Servine out.

"Servine is unable to battle, Tepig wins!" Don George declared as Tepig happily wagged his tail as did Dark.

"Way to go Dark!" Ash and Iris cheered as Pikachu and Axew joined them while Trip recalled Servine.

"Using Flame Charge to catch me off guard, very impressive." Trip commented.

"Thank Trip, this is fun, let's keep it up!" Dark said with excitement with his tail wagging.

"Well then, go Frillish!" Trip yelled sending out a Pokemon that looks like a blue jellyfish, confusing Dark who pulled out his Pokedex to find out more.

"Frillish, the Floating Pokemon. With its thin, veil-like arms wrapped around the body of its opponent, it sinks to the ocean floor." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away to get back to the battle.

"Alright, Tepig, use Flame Charge!" Dark yelled as Tepig charged towards Frillish with Flame Charge, but Iris and Cilan gasped for some reason.

"Dark, call off the attack!" Iris yelled.

"Huh, why?" Dark asked in confusion as Tepig hit Frillish head on, but there was a faint aura around Frillish's body as Dark looked to see the same aura around Tepig who was also looking dazed.

"Uh-oh, did I do something wrong Iris?" Dark asked.

"You don't know any basics, do you?" Trip asked as Dark turned to his opponent and tilted his head in confusion as Trip continued with, "Honestly, you should know better than to attack a Pokemon directly if that Pokemon has the ability Cursed Body."

"Cursed Body?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Cursed Body can disable moves that attack the Pokemon directly! How can you two not know about it!? You're both a couple of kids!" Iris yelled causing Ash to step back a little.

"Iris, calm down." Cilan said trying to calm Iris down as he sweated nervously.

"Well, if direct attacks won't work, then I'll use this. Tepig, Ember!" Dark yelled the last part as Tepig fired small flames at Frillish.

"Frillish, use Water Pulse!" Trip yelled as Frillish summoned a ball of water and threw it at Tepig as it blasted the small flames away like they were nothing before Tepig was trapped inside the water ball as he tried to get out, but with no luck, then the water ball blew up, sending Tepig crashing into a wall, knocking the Fire Pig out.

"Tepig is unable to battle, Frillish wins!" Don George declared as Dark returned Tepig to his Pokeball.

"You did good Tepig, I'm very proud of you, you deserve a nice rest." Dark said before he pulled out another Pokeball.

"Now Trip and Dark are each down to one more Pokemon." Ash said.

"Yeah, and when it comes to the Type differences, Dark doesn't stand a chance." Iris said growing concerned again.

"Like Ash and Dark proved back in Striaton City, it's not always about Type differences, I'm sure Dark and Darmanitan will find a way to come out on top." Cilan said.

"Go Darmanitan!" Dark yelled as he brought Darmanitan out who used his big arms to beat on his chest.

"This is it Dark, we're each down to our last Pokemon, this will be decided if either one of our Pokemon can't battle anymore." Trip smirked.

"Let's do this." Dark said as Darmanitan and Frillish got ready.

"Darmanitan, Flamethrower!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan fired his Flamethrower attack at Frillish.

"Protect!" Trip yelled as Frillish protected himself from the Flamethrower attack.

"Now use Night Shade!" Trip yelled as Frillish's eyes glowed as mysterious pink waves escaped from his body, causing Darmanitan to cover his ears as his body was immersed in the pink waves, not only that, but everyone saw that Dark was covering his ears as well while being immersed in the waves.

"D-D-Darmanitan, F-Flamethrower!" Dark grunted as Darmanitan fired his Flamethrower at Frillish again, this time it hit, making Frillish stop his Night Shade as Dark and Darmanitan uncovered their ears.

"That was odd, I'll have to ask him about that when the battle's over. Now Frillish, Water Pulse!" Trip yelled the last part as Frillish fired his Water Pulse at Darmanitan.

"Dodge it by using Dig!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan dug a hole and went underground to dodge as Frillish looked around to figure out where Darmanitan would reappear.

"Now Darmanitan, come out and use Psychic!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan emerged as his eyes glowed blue as he used his psychic powers to give Frillish a good spin around the room until he finally slammed Frillish into the ground.

"Get up and use Water Pulse!" Trip yelled as Frillish quickly got back up and quickly fired a Water Pulse at Darmanitan who didn't have enough time to dodge like the last time as he got trapped inside before the ball exploded, as everyone saw that Darmanitan's eyes were now replaced with stars and he looked dazed.

"Darmanitan, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Dark asked in concern.

"Oh no, Darmanitan's confused!" Ash exclaimed.

"Perfect, now this next move will be more effective! Use Hex!" Trip yelled as Frillish's eyes turned dark red and he raised his tentacles and suddenly summoned a giant eyeball that opened and a strange light came from the eye as it was aimed at the confused Darmanitan.

"Not good, since Darmanitan's confused, Hex deals out double the damage!" Cilan said.

"Oh no, Darmanitan!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan cried out after being hit as he collapsed on his back, unable to battle.

"Darmanitan is unable to battle, Frillish wins, and therefore the winner of the match is Trip!" Don George declared as Dark ran over to Darmanitan who sat up and shook his head.

"You feeling okay Darmanitan?" Dark asked standing next to Darmanitan who sadly nodded his head.

"It's okay, you did your best, and that's all that counts. Now get some rest, you've earned it." Dark assured as he returned Darmanitan to his Pokeball as Trip walked up to Dark.

"Seems like your Pokemon are pretty strong, but they also act silly just like you." Trip said.

"Thanks Trip." Dark said with a silly smile.

"Let me ask you something, why are you on this journey in the first place? What's your goal?" Trip asked as Dark thought about it.

"I don't really have a goal, I'm only on this journey because Professor Juniper said it was a good idea." Dark said.

"So, in other words, you're on this journey just because you were told to?" Trip asked while sweat dropping as Dark happily nodded his head.

Trip sighed before he turned to Don George and said, "Thank you very much." then Trip turned to leave as Ash ran to stand next to Dark.

"Trip, let's you and me have another battle sometime!" Ash yelled sounding eager as Trip turned back to Ash.

"We'll see." Trip said before walking away again as Iris and Cilan walked over to Ash and Dark.

"Better luck next time Dark." Cilan said.

"All you have to do is train extra hard, that's all." Iris agreed with Cilan.

"Don't worry about him guys. Neither him or me will let Trip stay ahead of us forever, so we'll just have to train hard and get a lot stronger." Ash said with an arm around Dark's shoulders.

"He's right, we can both get stronger together." Dark agreed with a silly smile on his face as he placed his arm around Ash's shoulders as well.

"(Teamwork all the way!)" Pikachu and Panpour happily said mimicking what their trainers were doing at the moment while Iris, Cilan, and Axew smiled at the two trainers and the two Pokemon.

* * *

Even after losing to Trip in a three-on-three battle, Dark's still keeping his spirits up and keeping his head held up high. Now Ash and Dark are motivated to train harder until the day that they can defeat Trip in another Pokemon battle, but first they have to focus on their upcoming battle at Nacrene City. Their journey to Nacrene City continues in the next incredible chapter of Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	12. Here Comes the Trubbish Squad

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, after arriving at the Battle Club, Trip and Dark had a three-on-three Pokemon battle, it looked like either one of them would win, but in the end, Trip won and left for his next Gym battle. After the Battle Club battle, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan helped a Bug-Type/Rock-Type Pokemon named Dwebble get his home back from three other Dwebble, and in the end he became Cilan's new Pokemon. And now, our heroes continue on their way to Nacrene City!

Here Comes the Trubbish Squad

Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were continuing on their way to Nacrene City, then they heard something up ahead.

"(What was that?)" Pikachu asked in confusion.

"Look, someone's coming this way. It's five kids and a Pokemon." Dark said pointing up ahead and soon they saw that Dark was right, it was five kids, three boys and two girls, on tricycles, along with a Pokemon that looks like a trash bag riding behind the kids.

"Good eyes Dark, but what's going on?" Ash asked before he and Dark saw two women, one an elder and one younger running behind the kids.

"Please stop!" the young woman cried to the children who were now speeding up towards Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan.

"Enemy sighted! Prepare to attack!" the boy in the center yelled to the other kids as the five of them got ready to throw mud balls at the four trainers.

"(Now what?)" Panpour asked.

"Looks like they're gonna throw something at us." Dark said before the kids threw the mud balls as Ash got hit in the face and fell on his back as his hat fell off his head, Cilan got hit as well but Iris jumped out of the range of fire while Dark simply dodged all the mud balls aimed at him as the kids passed by with Ash's hat being taken away by the Pokemon.

"Hey, come back here with my hat!" Ash yelled to the kids.

"(Give it back!)" Pikachu yelled as Iris hoped off the fence she was on.

"What's with them?" Iris asked looking at the kids getting away.

"Maybe they're late for lunch." Dark guessed standing next to Ash as he helped him up.

"Stop! Hey, you've got my hat!" Ash yelled to the kids who were still riding away.

"Don't worry Ash, I'll get it back for you." Dark said before he and Panpour ran after the kids and the Pokemon.

Ash, Iris, and Cilan were about to run after Dark, but then they heard, "I'm sorry!" as they turned around to see the two women who were chasing the kids.

"Do you know them?" Cilan asked the younger woman who had brown hair and was wearing a light green apron.

The younger woman sighed, "Yes, they come from my kindergarten class. I hope you can forgive them." she said mainly to Ash who didn't know what to say.

"To make it up to you, can you please follow us?" the elder woman asked.

"Wait, what about your little friend?" the younger woman asked talking about Dark.

"I know, Pidove, come on out!" Ash yelled bringing his Pidove out.

"Pidove, Dark and Panpour ran off that way, when you find them, take them over to where these two are taking us." Ash said as Pidove nodded before she flew off to find Dark and Panpour.

* * *

Later, Dark and Panpour lost the kids and the Pokemon as they were following Ash's Pidove to a building in front of them.

"It's too bad I didn't get Ash's hat back." Dark said with his arms crossed.

"(Relax, I'm sure we'll run into those kids again.)" Panpour said then all of a sudden, a familiar looking Pokemon popped up out of the ground in front of Dark, Panpour, and Pidove.

"Wait, haven't we seen you somewhere before?" Dark asked the Pokemon who turned out to be the Sandile with sunglasses that Ash, Dark, and Iris met back at the spa as Sunglasses Sandile turned to see Dark and then he smirked when he saw Panpour.

"(Aha, I've found one of them.)" Sunglasses Sandile said confusing Dark, Panpour, and Pidove.

"(You mean me?)" Panpour asked while pointing at himself as Sunglasses Sandile nodded.

"What do you want with Panpour?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail.

"(I want to have a battle with him, and that yellow mouse that was with you.)" Sunglasses Sandile said pointing at Panpour.

"You want to have a battle with Panpour and Pikachu?" Dark asked as Sandile nodded his head as Dark smiled and said, "Okay Sandile, we'll battle you."

"(Yeah, but let's make this more interesting. Sandile, if I win, you let Dark catch you, then you can have your chance to battle Pikachu later. If you win, you're free to go and find Pikachu on your own.)" Panpour offered hopping off of Dark's shoulder.

"(Alright, it's a deal.)" Sandile said with a nod, then he summoned sharp stones around them as he fired them at Panpour.

"Panpour dodge!" Dark yelled as Panpour dodged the pointy rocks that were coming his way while Sandile dug underground as Panpour looked around until he was lifted up when Sandile came back up, then he bit Panpour on the tail causing him to cry in pain.

"(Ow, hey, this is a fight, not lunch! What are you trying to do to me!?)" Panpour yelled trying to get Sandile off his tail.

"Quick, use Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired his Water Gun at Sandile causing him to finally let go of Panpour's tail.

"(Lucky shot, but let's see you try that again!)" Sandile yelled firing more sharp stones at Panpour.

"Dodge and then use Scald!" Dark yelled as Panpour nodded and tried his best to dodge the stones and then he fired hot water at Sandile who was about to dig again when he got hit with Scald, sending him falling on his back, then when he tried to get up, he grunted a little before he looked to see that his front leg was burned.

"(Oh man, that hot water really got to me, this guy's good, makes me wonder how the yellow mouse will do when I run into him again. Then again this guy might not be able to hit me from underground.)" Sandile said to himself before he dug underground, that's when Panpour got an idea as he turned to Dark.

"(Dark, he's hiding underground. Tell me to fire at the hole.)" Panpour said as Dark looked at the hole before he smiled.

"Not just yet buddy, wait for him to come out." Dark said as Panpour nodded and waited, then Sandile emerged behind Panpour.

"Now, use Scald!" Dark yelled as Panpour quickly turned around and fired a powerful Scald at Sandile, who took it without choice as he landed on his back, unable to battle.

"(Good fight, it was fun.)" Panpour happily said to Sandile who grunted as he got on his stomach as he nodded with a smile and then turned to Dark.

"(A deal's a deal, go ahead and catch me. The Water Monkey defeated me, but let's just see how the yellow mouse fairs.)" Sandile said as Dark nodded in understanding before he took one of his Pokeballs out.

"Okay, let's go Pokeball!" Dark yelled as he threw the Pokeball as it hit Sandile on the head before it sucked him inside as the ball landed, shook at least three times, and then clicked as Dark laughed happily before he picked up the Pokeball.

"Alright, I caught Sandile! Ash and Iris will be surprised to see him." Dark said before the doors opened as Dark, Panpour, and Pidove turned to see Iris and Axew at the door.

"Dark, there you are, we've been waiting for you. Don't run off like that again, such a little kid. Now come on, let's go." Iris said grabbing Dark's hand as they went inside the building with Panpour and Pidove following them, soon Ash returned Pidove as they looked around the room to see egg inside small containers in the room.

"Look at all those eggs, are they for breakfast?" Dark asked looking around.

"Those are Pokemon eggs silly, you take good care of them, and soon they will hatch into a Pokemon for you to raise." Iris said as she and Ash were also looking at the eggs.

"The relaxing fragrance in the air is quite refreshing." Cilan said as the elderly woman let out a hearty laugh.

"Well well, I've never heard anyone say that before. Welcome to my Day-Care. I'm Karena and this is my granddaughter Daniela." Karena introduced herself and the younger woman with her.

"I'm sorry about before, you see, this Day-Care is also where we teach those children." Daniela said.

"I'm Ash, and this is my best buddy Pikachu." Ash said pointing to Pikachu who waved and said, "(Hi there.)"

"I'm Dark, and this is Panpour, my partner." Dark said pointing at Panpour who waved as well.

"I'm Iris." Iris said with a little wave.

"My name is Cilan and I'm a Pokemon Connoisseur." Cilan said with a little bow.

Daniela bowed her head in apology and said, "I want to apologize once more. After all, it all started when the children found a Trubbish yesterday and brought it here."

"Trubbish? Was that what that Pokemon was?" Ash asked Iris and Cilan who nodded saying yes.

"Where did they find this Pokemon?" Dark asked tilting his head.

"The children found it at a junkyard on the edge of town." Daniela explained as Ash took out his Pokedex to find out more about Trubbish.

"Trubbish, the Trash Bag Pokemon. The combination of garbage bags and industrial waste caused the chemical reaction that created this Pokemon. Inhaling the gas they belch will make you sleep for a week. They prefer unsanitary places." the Pokedex explained.

"Well, I guess that Trubbish must really like junk then." Iris said as Ash glared at her.

"I don't like the fact that you've just said that my hat was junk." Ash said as Iris stuck her tongue out at Ash who did the same to her.

"Sorry I didn't get you hat back Ash, you can wear mine until we can get yours back if you want." Dark said taking his hat off and held it up to Ash who just sighed and patted Dark on the head.

"Well, I can say that the recipe made to make Trubbish was quite unique, a very strange Pokemon." Cilan said stroking his chin with a finger.

Daniela sighed, "Well, strange is definitely the word for Trubbish. I wasn't really pleased when they brought it here and the reason that they did was because it was crying in that junkyard. I told them that since Trubbish likes garbage, we couldn't have it in the classroom. They protested against that and then Trubbish let loose some gas, and let me tell you, the smell was horrendous. The kids tried to deny it and in the end, I had to take Trubbish back myself."

"Yet although Daniela did that, we woke up this morning only to be completely shocked." Karena said with a nod while Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan tilted their heads and Dark scratched his head with his tail.

"What do you mean?" Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan asked together.

* * *

Karena and Daniela brought the group to the back of the Day-Care as they saw a tree house surrounded by a huge pile of rubbish as they looked at it in awe.

"What the...?" Ash asked as Pikachu had the same reaction.

"Indeed, the children carried all of the rubbish here in the night so that Trubbish could be here." Daniela sighed.

"Didn't they stop to get something to eat?" Dark asked.

"It's quite unusual and Avery is the leader of the group. And always the butt of trouble, they are." Daniela sighed.

"Well, this does have the scent of a secret base." Cilan said looking at the tree house surrounded by rubbish.

"S-Secret base!? Oh man, that's so cool!" Ash said with his eyes glittering with excitement.

Iris sighed and glared at Ash while placing her hands on her hips as she said, "You're not supposed to be impressed. I think that you're such a little kid that the kindergarteners are more mature than you."

"Is that so!?" Ash yelled while glaring at Iris.

"Anyway, I wanted to get all of this junk out of the way before it collapses, however if it was just me and grandma, I think it would take around six hours. However, we were thinking about doing something about it before they ran out and then you know what happened after that." Daniela explained.

"I agree." Cilan said as Karena looked at the group.

"Would you be able to help us?" Karena asked the group.

"Sure, why not? What about you guys?" Ash asked Dark, Iris, and Cilan.

"Sure." Dark, Iris, and Cilan replied then Dark turned to the tree house and he saw that the blanket covering the tree house opened all of a sudden.

"Hey guys, someone's coming out of that house." Dark said as the group looked to see the children from before standing with cardboard boxes on them for protection along with cardboard swords while the boy in the middle was wearing Ash's hat.

"This is the Trubbish Squad Secret Base! Grownups are not allowed inside!" the boy wearing Ash's hat yelled holding the cardboard sword up.

"Yeah, no grownups!" the other kids agreed.

"Trubbish Squad Secret Base?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"It's just a game." Cilan said seeing the kids play.

"Yeah, just what kids would do." Iris sighed while Ash smiled at the children playing.

"Come on children, you need to stop these games and come down now!" Daniela called to the children.

"Wait a minute Daniela, is it okay if I talk to them?" Ash asked.

"Why? What reason do you have?" Daniela asked.

"Well, I used to play these games a lot when I was a kid, so I have an idea of what they're enjoying." Ash said smiling at his memories before he became a Pokemon Trainer.

"Well, I guess..." Daniela said turning to her grandma who nodded with a smile.

"Sure Ash, that's a great idea." Karena said.

"Thanks! Let's go Pikachu!" Ash said as Pikachu nodded before they went over and started to climb up the structure.

"Wait for me and Panpour Ash!" Dark yelled running after Ash and Pikachu.

"(Yeah, we want to check it out too!)" Panpour yelled while Ash and Pikachu kept climbing as the boy wearing Ash's hat spotted Ash and Pikachu approaching the 'Secret Base'.

"Enemy sighted! Alright, everyone, fire!" the boy yelled as the other kids nodded and got ready to throw some mud balls at Ash and Pikachu.

"H-Hang on, I just want to talk to-" Ash didn't finish as a mud ball hit him in the face making him fall back as he hit his head on a chair leg.

"Alright guys, aim for the trap leg!" the leader yelled to the others.

"Yes sir!" the kids said throwing a mud ball at part of the structure that Ash was on, then he and Pikachu fell down and landed on the ground as they rubbed parts of their bodies that hurt.

"Oh man." Ash groaned before he looked up to see the kid leader held his cardboard sword in front of his face.

"Freeze!" the leader said to Ash.

"What's going on over there Ash?" Iris asked getting impatient on the other side while Dark still stood on the other side.

"Well, um, they've got us both cornered." Ash said while sweating a little.

"(We come in peace!)" Pikachu said to the children in front of them.

"Cornered? Hang on Ash, I'm coming." Dark said from the other side before he jumped with Panpour on his shoulder taking everyone by surprise when they saw how high Dark can jump as he and Panpour landed in front of Ash and Pikachu while the kids backed away.

The boy wearing Ash's hat was shocked like Ash, Pikachu, and the other kids before he shook it off and pointed his cardboard sword at Dark and said, "Your fancy tricks won't work against the Trubbish Squad!"

"Excuse me, but the hat you're wearing belongs to my friend Ash, can we please have it back?" Dark asked real nicely.

"You will stay silent!" the leader yelled then two children poured buckets of water on Ash, Dark, Pikachu, and Panpour while Ash and Pikachu cried out while Dark and Panpour giggled as the water soaked their bodies before they stopped.

"What's the matter?" Dark asked tilting his head in confusion.

* * *

Ash, Dark, Pikachu, and Panpour were taken to the tree house as they looked around.

"Wow, this is pretty impressive. Did you do all this by yourselves?" Ash asked the kids in front of them.

"Yep, Trubbish helped us a lot as well." one of the girls said.

"(I sure did.)" Trubbish happily said.

"Hey, you can't be friendly with the enemy!" the boy wearing Ash's hat said.

"I'm sorry Avy." the girl apologized.

"(Sorry.)" Trubbish also apologized.

"So, you're Avy?" Dark asked the boy with Ash's hat.

"You are to call me Avery, prisoner." Avery replied turning away.

"Well, I'm Ash and this is Pikachu." Ash said pointing to Pikachu who happily waved.

"My name is Dark, and this is Panpour." Dark said pointing at Panpour who gave the kids a thumbs-up.

"Wow, I've only seen a Pikachu in picture books! Pikachu and Panpour are really cute!" one of the girls said as one of the boys walked up to Ash and Dark.

"Is it okay if I can pet Pikachu and Panpour?" the boy asked with pleading eyes as Ash let out a small laugh and then he and Dark nodded as Pikachu and Panpour got off their shoulders as the kids gathered around them, touching and poking Pikachu and Panpour like they were trying a new food or drink.

"(Oh yeah, thank you, yes, that feels good.)" Pikachu said clearly enjoying the attention and being patted.

"(Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about. Here, try behind the ears.)" Panpour said pointing behind his ear as the girls rubbed Panpour behind the ears as Panpour sighed happily and said, "(Not as good as the way Mitsumi does it, but close enough.)"

Avery was on the side just looking as Ash and Dark noticed it as Ash said, "Hey Avery, the thing is that me, Dark, Pikachu, and Panpour don't want to be enemies. We just want to talk with you."

"You... really mean it?" Avery asked as Ash and Dark both smiled and nodded, then Avery looked down at Pikachu and Panpour and how the other kids were happily petting them and then he asked, "Then is it okay if I can pet Pikachu and Panpour as well?"

Ash and Dark nodded as Ash said, "Sure, we're glad you asked."

Then the kids were grabbing Pikachu and Panpour and began to pull them towards them, much to Pikachu and Panpour's discomfort.

"Hang on guys, you have to be careful, otherwise Pikachu might zap you." Ash warned.

"Yeah, and Panpour might soak you as well." Dark added as the kids backed away in an instant as Pikachu and Panpour raised their paws and got ready for an attack as the kids and Trubbish were waiting for what happens next, but then Pikachu and Panpour opened their eyes and then smiled, then Ash and Dark picked up Pikachu and Panpour and showed them to the kids and Trubbish.

"You see guys, Pikachu is an Electric-Type and knows this move called Thunderbolt, isn't that right buddy?" Ash asked as Pikachu answered with a Thunderbolt on Ash who cried as it shocked him, then he dropped Pikachu with parts of his body smoking as Ash asked, "P-Pretty cool, right?"

"That's not all, Panpour is a Water-Type and he knows these moves called Water Gun and Scald, am I right?" Dark asked as Panpour nodded and fired his Scald at Dark's face, leaving him with a red face, but Dark just smiled and said, "See? That was Panpour's Scald." as the kids looked at Pikachu and Panpour in awe.

"You see? Pikachu and Panpour are both cute and strong." Ash said as Dark nodded in agreement, then Trubbish walked towards Pikachu and Panpour who backed up and looked at the Pokemon with surprised looks on their faces as Trubbish flexed its arms trying to look tough and cool.

"I suppose you're cute as well." Ash told Trubbish while Dark patted the Trash Bag Pokemon.

"Of course Trubbish is." Avery replied as he and the other kids gathered around Trubbish.

"You really love Trubbish, don't you?" Dark asked the kids with a smile on his face.

"Of course, Trubbish is the best!" the children cried proudly as Avery approached Ash and took off Ash's hat.

"Here Ash, I want you to have your hat back. I'm sorry we hit you with those mud balls." Avery apologized as Ash smiled and patted Avery on the shoulder.

"No problem Avery." Ash said as he put his hat back on.

"There you go, you just didn't look like Ash without your hat." Dark said with his tail slowly wagging behind him as the kids noticed it as well.

"You've got a tail on your back?" one of the boys asked in confusion.

"Well of course, that's where tails grow silly. They'd look funny anywhere else." Dark said patting the boy on the head.

"I've never heard of a human having a tail before." Avery said as Ash laughed nervously.

"You see, Dark's not an ordinary person." Ash said as Dark giggled while Panpour and Pikachu sighed and shrugged their shoulders.

* * *

Soon, Ash and Dark got down to business as Ash said to the kids, "What do you guys think? I say that you should make things right with your teacher."

"We'll go with you if it makes you feel better." Dark offered.

"But Ash, Dark, we didn't even do anything wrong! It's Daniela's fault!" Avery cried.

"Daniela's fault, what do you mean?" Dark asked tilting his head in confusion.

"Is it because she told you to take Trubbish back?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, even though Trubbish didn't even do anything wrong!" Avery replied.

"Hey, didn't Daniela say that Trubbish can get stinky sometimes?" Dark asked scratching his head with his tail.

"Yeah, but only sometimes." one of the girls replied.

"What are you talking about!? Trubbish doesn't stink one bit!" Avery cried as the girl backed away as Trubbish smiled and then opened its mouth and then a stinky gas came out of its mouth as a horrendous smell filled the air and Ash covered his nose while Dark was taking it worse as he covered his nose and then coughed.

"No... Trubbish... doesn't stink." Avery said even though he and the other kids were holding their noses as well.

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? TRUBBISH STINKS!" Ash and Dark yelled so loud that it was heard outside the tree house.

"What the..? That sounded like Ash and Dark." Iris said in confusion while Ash and Dark came out of the tree house while the kids followed close behind.

"Man... that really is a stench." Ash said as Dark began coughing as he looked like he was about to pass out.

"I think I'm gonna puke." Dark said before coughing again.

"No it's not!" Avery protested before he turned to Trubbish and said, "Don't worry, everything's gonna be fine."

Ash and Dark smiled before they got closer to Trubbish as Dark petted Trubbish again as Ash asked it, "Well Trubbish, isn't Avery just great?"

"(Yeah, he's a great pal!)" Trubbish happily said as Dark remembered something and took out one of his Pokeballs.

"Hey Ash, I caught a new Pokemon, you want to see it?" Dark asked as Ash got a little confused.

"Wow, I didn't know you caught a Pokemon." Ash said.

"I caught him when I was following your Pidove to where you, Iris, and Cilan were when I had a battle with a wild Pokemon and then caught him just before Iris brought me over to you guys." Dark said.

"Sure Dark, I'd like to see a new Pokemon." Ash said as Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Actually, you, me, and Iris have already met this Pokemon before. Here, see for yourself!" Dark said tossing the Pokeball in the air as Sandile came out of it and landed on the ground in front of the tree house as Ash and Pikachu were surprised to see Sandile in front of them.

"Wait a minute, it's the same Sandile from the hot springs!" Ash said in shock.

"That's right Ash, it turns out that Sandile was looking for us, he wanted to have a battle with Panpour and Pikachu. He already have a battle with Panpour, and now he wants to have a battle with Pikachu." Dark explained as Sandile nodded with a smirk.

"Well, what do you say Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"(Sure, I don't have a problem with that.)" Pikachu said with determination before he landed in front of Sandile, ready for battle.

"I guess we're up for a battle." Ash said as he, Dark, and Panpour jumped down to join Pikachu and Sandile.

"Alright, a real Pokemon battle, this is gonna be great!" Avery cried happily while the other kids and Trubbish also cheered.

"I'll start off, Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu fired a Thunderbolt attack on Sandile, but it looked like Sandile didn't even feel it as Dark and Panpour were confused.

"Hey, how come Sandile doesn't look hurt from Pikachu's Thunderbolt?" Dark asked in confusion.

"You see Dark, Ground-Type Pokemon are immune to Electric-Type attacks like Thunderbolt, so Sandile didn't even feel that attack." Ash explained.

"So if you knew that, why did you attack Sandile with Thunderbolt?" Dark asked.

"To let you know that we're ready." Ash smirked while the children cheered.

"Oh, I get it now, well we're ready too! Show them Sandile, and use Dig!" Dark yelled as Sandile dug underground.

"Pikachu, be careful, you never know where Sandile could be." Ash warned as Pikachu looked around, but then he got lifted in the air when Sandile emerged from the ground.

"Now, use Bite!" Dark yelled as Sandile used bite and bit on Pikachu's tail as Pikachu cried in pain while Panpour winced and held his tail.

"Shake him off, Pikachu!" Ash yelled as Pikachu tried to get Sandile to let go who smirked and then tossed Pikachu to the ground.

"Now, use Stone Edge!" Dark yelled as Sandile summoned sharp stones and fired them at Pikachu.

"Oh no you don't, send them right back with Iron Tail!" Ash yelled as Pikachu got his Iron Tail ready as he deflected the stones back at Sandile who didn't have time to dodge in the air and took the stones without choice as he began to fall, and then Ash yelled, "Now use Quick Attack!" then Pikachu charged towards Sandile with great speed and then he hit Sandile head on while the children cheered for both Pokemon.

"Now finish this off with Iron Tail!" Ash yelled as Pikachu got his Iron Tail ready, but then...

"Ash, Dark, what are you two doing over there?" Iris asked as she, Cilan, Daniela, and Karena heard the battle from the other side, causing Pikachu to miss.

"So much for changing their minds." Cilan said with a small smile while Daniela frowned.

"Then I'll just have to take care of things after all." Daniela said climbing up the structure as the others followed as they got to the top to see the kids and Trubbish cheering while Ash and Dark were in the middle of a battle between Pikachu and Sandile.

"Children? Please, let us talk this over." Daniela said as Iris looked over to see Sandile.

"Wait a minute, isn't that the same Sandile from the hot spring? What's he doing here? More importantly, Ash, Dark, what do you two think you're doing!?" Iris asked as Ash laughed sheepishly while Dark just wagged his tail.

"Well, you see... this thing happened, and then this other thing... But I got my hat back." Ash said pointing at his hat.

"And you think that's the important thing!? You're so immature!" Iris yelled.

"Sorry, but Sandile just wanted to have a battle with Pikachu." Dark said bowing in apology as did Panpour and Sandile.

"Well, children just how long are you going to stand there?" Daniela asked.

"Until you say that Trubbish can stay!" Avery replied.

"But that's impossible! You have to understand..." Daniela pleaded.

"We won't!" Avery protested as the other children agreed with him.

"Please Daniela, let the children tell you what they think." Ash spoke up after the children quieted down.

"Ash, please don't say anything more. This is my kindergarten class and these children are my responsibility." Daniela said in a strict voice.

"Yeah, but this class is theirs too." Ash pointed out.

"I'm sorry, but it's my job to protect them. And that means that I have to make Trubbish leave. Deerling go!" Daniela yelled sending out a Deerling who appeared in front of the tree house while Avery and the other kids gritted their teeth, but suddenly Ash stepped up.

"Then I'll just have to battle you!" Ash said with determination.

"Oh my-" Cilan said as he smacked his forehead while Iris looked confused as did Dark.

"Ash, what are you doing?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Ha! I'm a part of the Trubbish Squad as well!" Ash declared with a smile.

"Alright everyone, let's hear it for Ash!" Avery said as the children and Trubbish cheered for Ash.

"Fine then, Deerling use Tackle!" Daniela yelled as Deerling ran towards Pikachu.

"Counter it with Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pikachu charged towards Deerling with great speed, but suddenly Dark got in between the two Pokemon and blocked both attacks and pushed them back a little.

"Dark, what are you doing? Are you with the Trubbish Squad as well?" Daniela asked as Dark shook his head.

"So you're with them?" Ash asked pointing at Daniela as Dark shook his head once more as Ash then asked, "Well, then who's side are you on?"

"I just want peace between everyone here, and if it that means I have to battle both Daniela and the Trubbish Squad, then so be it." Dark said as Panpour and Sandile stepped up ready for battle, but then suddenly some of the junk from the pile began to shake.

"Guys, get away from here right now!" Ash told the children before he and Dark tried to keep some of the junk from falling over.

"Iris, Cilan, get the kids away from here!" Dark yelled to Iris and Cilan who nodded and went over to help the kids.

Daniela ran over to Avery as she yelled, "Avery, we have to leave!"

"No! I want to stay with Trubbish!" Avery protested while holding on to Trubbish.

"Please Avery, you have to-" Daniela began before a huge pile began to fall as Daniela shielded Avery and Trubbish to protect them as she grunted, "Just go Avery, come on!"

"Hurry Avery, it'll collapse at any minute!" Ash called while Dark, Iris, and Cilan saw that the rest of the pile was about to fall, that's when Trubbish stepped up and fired some sludge from its mouth as it the rubbish that was about to hit them.

"What was that?" Dark asked Cilan.

"That was Trubbish's Sludge." Cilan told Dark, that's when Dark got an idea.

"Panpour, use Water Gun on the rubbish!" Dark yelled as Panpour jumped and fired his Water Gun at the rubbish to get them away from the others while Trubbish helped with Sludge, and soon the crisis was over a minute after it began as everyone smiled at Trubbish.

"Man, Trubbish really saved our skins!" Ash commented.

"Yeah, way to go Trubbish!" Iris and Dark cheered while Daniela looked at Trubbish.

* * *

The sun was setting and the kids were now in front of the Day-Care to discus something with Daniela.

"We're very sorry." Avery apologize with his eyes filled with tears like the other kids who apologized as well.

"And I'm sorry too." Daniela said before she bent down and placed her hands on Avery's shoulders as she continued with, "I didn't listen to you guys at all."

"See? they love Trubbish." Dark said as they turned to Dark and his friends.

"And think about it, who would take care of it the best? I think it would be your class for sure." Ash added.

"Well?" Karena asked as Daniela was now in front of Trubbish.

"Trubbish, how would you like to be a part of this class?" Daniela asked as Trubbish happily cried while the kids were happy and wrapped their arms around it while the others smiled at the scene.

"You know... Trubbish stops releasing the decomposing gases the more friendly it becomes with people." Karena explained shocking the others while Dark was just confused.

"What!? You knew this the whole time?" Cilan asked.

Karena smiled as she said, "Well, I do run a Day-Care after all. Of course I did."

"Then why didn't you tell us before?" Iris asked.

"Well it's obvious, you have to figure things out for yourself, whether it's kids or Pokemon. I thought that everyone knew that." Karena said as she laughed while the others groaned while Dark just tilted his head in confusion.

* * *

Later that night, the junkyard was slowly filling up.

"Why is it that you agreed to clean up for them?" Iris protested while carrying some rubbish while Dark pushed a cart full of rubbish with no problem, in fact he was smiling.

"Personally, I'd rather be cooking than cleaning." Cilan said as some of their Pokemon helped them out, even Dark's new Sandile.

"It's the least we could do for them." Dark happily said carrying more rubbish than Darmanitan.

* * *

The next day, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were about ready to continue on their way to Nacrene City.

"I can't thank you enough for what you've done." Daniela said as she smiled at them while Iris and Cilan looked worn out but Ash and Dark were just fine like Pikachu and Panpour.

"Ash, Dark, I would like you two to have these." Karena said held out two cases each containing an egg inside as she held them out to Ash and Dark who were surprised by the gift.

"Pokemon eggs." Ash said as he and Dark accepted them.

"What kind of Pokemon will hatch from them?" Dark asked holding up his egg.

"Well, you'll both just have to wait until they hatch to find out what they are. And all I want in return is for you two to raise them well." Karena said winking at Ash and Dark who nodded their heads.

"Thank you very much." Dark said bowing.

"We'll make sure to do that." Ash added.

"Hey Ash, Dark." Ash and Dark looked to see their young friends and Trubbish as Avery continued with, "You guys can come back anytime. After all, you're both part of the Trubbish Squad!"

Ash and Dark nodded and Ash said, "For sure."

"And the next time we meet, let's have a battle, okay?" Dark happily asked.

"You bet!" the Trubbish Squad replied before Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan waved goodbye to Daniela, Karena, the kids, and Trubbish and continued on their way to Nacrene City.

* * *

Not only have Ash and Dark received two Pokemon eggs from Karena of the Day-Care, but they've also made some new friends in Avery and the children, along with Trubbish. And with Dark's new Pokemon, Sandile, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan continue on their way to Nacrene City for Ash and Dark's second Unova Region Gym badge. Who else will they meet along the way? Find out what in the next exciting chapter of Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	13. Minccino, Neat and Tidy

Last time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan came across a Day-Care just as the teacher and the kids were at a disagreement about a Pokemon that the kids befriended named Trubbish. After having a little help from Dark's new Sandile, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan have helped and now Trubbish is a happy member of the Day-Care class, and as a reward, Ash and Dark each got a Pokemon egg. Now our heroes are now back on the road to Nacrene City!

Minccino, Neat and Tidy

It was a nice sunny day as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan continued on their way to Nacrene City, but suddenly they heard a female voice from behind them yell, "Waaaaaait!" so they turned around to see a blonde girl in a green hat running over to them while waving her hand in the air.

"Hold on a minute you-" the girl then suddenly tripped on a small rock as she stumbled about with such speed as both Iris and Dark stepped out of the way while the girl smashed into Ash and Cilan, causing the two of them to splash into the water next to them.

"(You know, if you two wanted to go for a nice swim, all you had to do was ask.)" Panpour said with his arms crossed as Dark went over and pulled Ash and Cilan out of the water.

* * *

After Dark pulled Ash and Cilan out of the water the two of them were getting their clothes dried while they stood in front of the fire made from the two Tepigs to keep warm.

"I'm so sorry." the girl said bowing multiple times as she continued with, "I didn't mean to hit you guys like that."

"Don't worry, it's all right." Cilan told the girl.

"So what are you even doing here?" Iris asked as Dark stood next to Ash.

"Actually, I wanted to talk with Ash and Dark." the girl said.

"What did you want to talk with me and Ash about?" Dark asked tilting his head in confusion as the girl went over to them and held out her wrist in front of them as they saw an X-transceiver as she pressed a button on it and Professor Juniper's face appeared on the screen.

"Professor Juniper!" Ash and Dark exclaimed together, both sounding surprised to see Professor Juniper again.

"Hello Ash and Dark, how are you boys?" Professor Juniper asked.

"Great, Dark and I already got our first badge." Ash said proudly as Dark showed Professor Juniper his Trio Badge.

"That's great, but the reason I'm calling is because I forgot to give you each a Badge Case before you two left the lab. Oh well, have a safe journey and I look forward to talking to you two again! Bianca has your Badge Cases." Professor Juniper told Ash and Dark before the screen on the X-transceiver went off as Ash and Dark turned to the girl in front of them.

"So you must be..." Dark started off until the girl decided to finish it off.

"Yep, I'm Bianca, nice to meet you Ash." Bianca said while looking at Dark who was confused.

Ash cleared his throat as Bianca turned to him before he said, "Uh, I'm Ash, he's Dark."

"Oh, how silly of me." Bianca said laughing sheepishly before she asked, "So who are you?"

"I'm Iris, and this is Axew." Iris said as Axew waved at Bianca.

"And I'm Cilan." Cilan said with a bow.

"Well, it's nice to meet you. And Ash, I have your Badge Case along with Dark's, they're in..." Bianca said digging into her bag trying to find the Badge Cases.

A few minutes later, Ash and Cilan put their clothes back on after they were nice and dry while Dark hung on the branch of a tree next to them with his tail as Panpour did the same as Bianca kept digging into her bag to find the Badge Cases, until she felt something as she lifted two cases out of her bag as she cried, "Here they are!"

Once Bianca got a closer look at them, she saw that they were really dusty as she coughed a little as Dark stood next to Ash again.

"Here you are." Bianca said handing Ash and Dark their Badge Cases while they tried to keep the dust away from their mouths.

"They sure are dusty." Dark said looking at his Badge Case as did Panpour.

"It doesn't matter. So, what do you guys think of our new Badge Cases?" Ash asked Iris and Cilan.

"You can hardly see the colors." Iris pointed out looking at the Cases.

"You didn't have to say it out loud." Ash said while hanging his head down in depression.

Cilan laughed a little, "Well at least the inside should be fine."

"(Still, these two deserve better than dusty Badge Cases. Give me that!)" Panpour said snatching Dark's Badge Case as he used Water Gun on it and then used his tail to clean it off, when Panpour was done, he saw that Dark's Badge Case was now squeaky clean. Satisfied with his work, Panpour gave Dark's Badge Case back to Dark.

"Hey, thanks buddy." Dark said before he and Ash opened their cases as they saw that the inside had eight slots each as they both put their Trio Badges in the first slot of the Cases.

"Yes! Dark, we only need seven more Badges!" Ash said as he and Dark showed the Cases to Iris and Cilan who smiled at their two friends.

"Then you two can join the Unova League! Nacrene City isn't far from here after all." Iris said as Dark wagged his tail with excitement as he closed his case.

"Say Ash, Dark, can I see your Badges?" Bianca asked as Ash nodded and closed his Badge Case as he held his out to Bianca, then something jumped in and took Ash's Badge Case and then it ran away into the forest by the riverbank.

"(What the!?)" Pikachu yelled seeing the thing getting away.

"Hey, come back here with that!" Ash yelled before he ran after whatever took his Badge Case while Dark followed close behind as it bounded through the forest and over an old log as Pikachu, Dark, and Panpour jumped over the log as Dark waited for Ash while Pikachu and Panpour continued to chase the thief as Ash was now on the log.

"Man, that Pokemon's fast." Ash panted as Iris, Cilan, and Bianca caught up to Ash and Dark.

"Fast and wonderful, even taking that Badge Case with ease!" Bianca commented with a smile.

"Do you really have to be so fascinated by a thief?" Iris asked with her hands on her hips.

"(Not very wise.)" Axew agreed popping out of Iris' hair.

"But you saw it too, right? How skillful and fast that Pokemon was!?" Bianca asked while getting a little too close to Iris' face.

"Enough of that! We've gotta get my Badge Case back!" Ash said climbing over to log.

"You could always get a replacement." Bianca suggested.

"Replacement!?" Ash yelled in surprise turning around just to fall off the log as Dark caught him before he could hit the ground as Ash stood on the ground again and said, "Thanks Dark." then he turned to Bianca, frowned, and then yelled, "But seriously, another Badge!? That's the only one that I want, me and my Pokemon worked hard to get that!"

"(Hey guys, we've found the thief!)" Pikachu called as the five trainers turned to see Pikachu and Panpour running back to them.

"(It's over this way, come on!)" Panpour yelled as they went over and hid in the bushes as they poked their heads out to see that it was a white furred Pokemon wiping Ash's Badge Case with its tail as Bianca got her Pokedex to find out more.

"Minccino, the Chinchilla Pokemon. These Pokemon prefer a tidy habitat. They are always sweeping and dusting, using their tails as brooms." the Pokedex explained as they looked at Minccino again cleaning Ash's Badge Case.

"So... it took Ash's Badge Case because it was dirty?" Cilan asked with a finger on his chin.

"(Now there's a clean-happy Pokemon.)" Panpour said with his arms crossed.

"Perfect! Since I hate to clean, this is perfect!" Bianca said in excitement as Ash frowned at her.

"Alright then, even though Minccino took it to clean it, I really have to-" Ash was interrupted when Bianca stepped up and held up a Pokeball.

"No need, I'll do it!" Bianca said as Ash sighed.

"Well, at least she's eager." Cilan sighed.

"To be honest, I think there's also a degree of selfishness in there." Iris commented while Dark saw that Minccino put the Badge Case in its mouth before it turned to the trainers.

"Don't worry Ash, just leave it to me, I'll get you Badge Case back ASAP! Now, get ready for battle Pignite!" Bianca yelled before she tossed the Pokeball and out of it came a pig Pokemon that was bigger than Tepig and it was standing on two legs.

"Pignite?" Ash asked as he and Dark looked at Cilan to find out more.

"It's the evolved form of Tepig." Cilan told them as Dark pulled out his Pokedex to find out more.

"Pignite, the Fire Pig Pokemon, and the evolved form of Tepig. Whatever it eats becomes fuel for the flames in its stomach. When it is angered, the intensity of the flame increases. When its internal fire flares up, its movements grow sharper and faster. When in trouble, it emits smoke." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away and then pulled out his Tepig's Pokeball.

"So, Tepig can become a Pignite, how?" Dark asked Cilan.

"It's quite simple Dark, if Tepig gets enough battle experience, he can evolve into a Pignite." Cilan explained.

"Well, I'll bring him out to meet a fellow Fire Pig Pokemon. Tepig, come on out!" Dark said as the Pokeball in his hand popped opened as his Tepig got out and saw that a battle was about to unfold.

"Pignite, use Tackle!" Bianca yelled as Pignite charged towards Minccino and then jumped towards it, but Minccino moved out of the way as Pignite landed on its belly while Minccino was now behind Pignite.

"Okay, that didn't work, okay Pignite, use Flame Charge!" Bianca yelled as Pignite got up and stomped in place before it was covered in flames as it charged towards Minccino, but like the last attack, Minccino dodged as they now saw that Minccino was climbing up a tree.

"No, no, no, it got away!" Bianca cried stomping her foot on the ground while Pignite did the same.

"Hmm, interesting. Bianca certainly does have a taste for battles." Cilan observed as Tepig sweat dropped at Bianca and her Pignite and then smacked his cheek.

"Hey Bianca, shouldn't we get Ash his Badge Case back?" Dark asked getting everyone back on topic.

"Sure thing." Bianca said as they saw Minccino on a branch with the Badge Case out of its mouth before it turned to the trainers again.

"Pignite, Flame Charge again!" Bianca yelled as Pignite got ready to use Flame Charge once more, but then Minccino rolled up its ears, took a deep breath, and then yelled at the top of its lungs as Pignite was hit by a burst of sound, causing it to cover its ears.

"What's Minccino using?" Dark asked in confusion as he scratched his head with his tail.

"That's Hyper Voice, and Pignite is still feeling the effects of it! This is Minccino's perfect opportunity to attack!" Cilan said sounding surprised as Minccino jumped off the tree and went after Pignite and landed on its back and then brought its tail to Pignite's belly and began moving it very fast as Pignite tried to get Minccino off, but then it burst into laughter as it struggled on the ground to get Minccino off.

"And that's Tickle, Minccino definitely has a broad range of moves." Iris said with an expression of pity on her face while Dark and Panpour looked at each other and then shrugged their shoulders.

"Pignite, return." Bianca said returning Pignite to the Pokeball after seeing no other option, but then she smiled and said, "Man that Minccino! All those moves, so tough and so cute!"

Ash then stepped up and said, "Looks like I have to get this done myself. Now, which one of my Pokemon should I use?" just then a light came from his belt and Oshawott appeared and stood proud.

"So cool! Ash's Pokemon come out all by themselves!?" Bianca said looking at Oshawott.

Iris shook her head, "Only Oshawott." then Bianca giggled as both Iris and Tepig sighed.

"Looks like my choice has been made for me. Alright Oshawott, let's go!" Ash said as Oshawott nodded and turned to Minccino.

"Alright, use Tackle!" Ash yelled as Oshawott ran towards Minccino who jumped out of the way as Oshawott ran after it until Minccino had nowhere else to run.

"You've got him now Ash!" Dark cheered with Panpour and Tepig jumping up and down next to him.

"Now Oshawott, use-" Ash was about to give Oshawott another command until he was interrupted.

"Hydro Pump! Use Hydro Pump Oshawott! Come on, go for Hydro Pump!" Bianca suddenly cried as Oshawott looked at her with a confused expression on his face.

"Uh Bianca, I don't think Oshawott knows a move like that." Dark said while Tepig and Panpour slowly shook their heads.

"He's right, but Oshawott does know Razor Shell, go for it!" Ash yelled as Oshawott grabbed his scalchop and got ready to use Razor Shell, but then he noticed that Minccino was missing as he looked around until he found Minccino up in a tree looking down at Oshawott.

"(Man, that Minccino is pretty fast.)" Panpour whispered to Tepig who nodded in agreement before Minccino jumped down and landed on Oshawott's back and then he started to tickle Oshawott with his tail, causing Oshawott to roll on the ground while laughing, then Minccino got off and used his tail again, this time he slapped Oshawott twice causing the Sea Otter Pokemon to roll on his back as it knocked him out.

"What was that?" Dark asked in confusion even though he was also worried about Oshawott.

"Double Slap, a move that can hit your opponent more than once, and after Oshawott was still recovering from Tickle. Minccino certainly does have a battle style that's full of a rich flavor." Cilan explained before Dark ran over to Ash, Pikachu, and Oshawott with Panpour and Tepig following him.

"Let me have a go Ash, I'll get you Badge Case back." Dark said as Ash looked at Oshawott who sighed and then pointed at Dark.

"Okay Dark, it's all yours." Ash said as Dark nodded with a silly smile, but then they saw that Minccino put the Badge Case back in his mouth and then jumped from tree to tree until he was now nowhere to be seen.

"(Aw man, he got away.)" Panpour said with disappointment as Tepig patted him on the back.

"Let's go after him then." Dark suggested as Ash stood up and turned to Bianca.

"You know this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't talked." Ash said with a frown, but Bianca just smiled and put her hands on her hips.

"I only did it to help you out." Bianca said as she approached Ash and Dark and placed a hand on their shoulders as she continued with, "You two are gonna help me catch Minccino, right?"

"Uh, well..." Ash trailed off, not quite sure what to say.

"Sure, we'll help, that way we can also get Ash's Badge Case back." Dark said with a silly smile.

"YES, YES, YES! Thank you so much!" Bianca cried happily as she picked Dark up from the ground and gave him a big hug.

"To think that we'll be taking a detour, and I wanted to get to Nacrene City as soon as possible." Ash sighed with his head down in depression.

"Don't worry about it Ash. After all, Nacrene City is just over the mountain." Cilan said as Bianca finally let Dark go from the hug as they looked at a large mountain that stood in their way.

"Yeah, we'll still get to Nacrene City. Now let's go get Minccino and that Badge Case." Dark said as the others nodded in agreement.

* * *

Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, and Bianca spent quite a while looking for Minccino, but they didn't have any luck.

"Where did it go!?" Ash yelled impatiently.

"He couldn't have gotten far." Dark said looking from a tree with Iris.

Suddenly, Bianca got an idea as she turned to Cilan and asked, "Say Cilan, do you have anything shiny at all?"

Cilan nodded and took off his backpack before he took out his serving dome and a spoon as he said, "See? Have a look at that sparkle, that is the result of hard polishing on silverware!"

"(I don't know who's more clean-happy now, you or that Minccino we're trying to catch?)" Panpour asked with his arms crossed as Bianca suddenly snatched the spoon from Cilan and then rubbed it against the dirt.

"Wait, what are you doing!? Please stop!" Cilan begged not liking that Bianca just got his spoon all dirty as she lifted it up.

"There we go, all done!" Bianca said happily while Ash and Dark were confused.

"Why did she do that?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail, then Iris had a pretty good idea why Bianca did what she did.

"Now I get it. Remember, Minccino loves to clean anything that's dirty." Iris told Ash and Dark as Ash nodded in understanding while Dark was still confused but he shrugged his shoulders and went along with it anyway.

* * *

Later, the spoon was now under the serving dome that was being help up a little by a stick tied with some rope while Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, and Bianca were hiding behind a bush with Bianca holding the rope as they waited for Minccino.

"Whyyyy!?" Cilan was complaining about the spoon as Dark patted him on the back for comfort.

"(So, you guys really think this is gonna work?)" Pikachu asked, but then the bushes in front of them began to rustle and then they saw Minccino come out of them.

"That's-" Ash began a little loudly before Bianca and Iris shushed him as Minccino approached the spoon carefully as he sniffed the spoon and then used his tail to clean it.

"And now!" Bianca yelled pulling the rope as the stick moved away from the serving dome that fell on top of Minccino.

"Yes, I caught Minccino!" Bianca squealed happily.

"(You might want to look again.)" Tepig said pointing at the dome as they saw that Minccino got up with the serving dome still on top of him as he ran away once again.

"Hey, where are you going!?" Bianca yelled to Minccino.

"Come back, you've got my spoon and my serving dome!" Cilan yelled to Minccino as well.

"Don't worry, I'll get him!" Dark yelled before he, Panpour, and Tepig ran after Minccino.

"We'll go too, come on!" Ash yelled before they followed Dark.

* * *

Soon Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Bianca found Dark who saw Mincino up a tree using his tail to clean the spoon.

"There he is! Alright Dark, take it away little guy!" Bianca called as Dark turned back to his friends and gave them a nod.

"Alright Tepig, you want to have a go?" Dark asked.

"(No problem, I'll battle him!)" Tepig said with determination before he blew flames from his snout as Minccino got down from the tree to battle Tepig.

"Wow, that Tepig looks really determined! And those flames he blew out, even my Pignite doesn't blow out flames that strong!" Bianca commented with sparkles in her eyes.

"Well, both Dark and Ash have a wide variety of Pokemon with them." Cilan pointed out.

"Hey Bianca, what other Pokemon do you have?" Ash asked suddenly curious.

"Just Pignite." Bianca said as Ash, Iris, and Cilan sweat dropped at that answer.

"Just Pignite?" Iris asked.

"Yeah, Flame Charge is a good move to win a lot of battles!" Bianca said with confidence.

"Just how long have you been traveling?" Cilan asked.

"I just started a few weeks ago. You see, my dad put off my journey for so long, so I didn't get the chance to go on one. But I already have two badges!" Bianca said happily as Ash drooped his head again.

"Even she has more badges than me and Dark." Ash sighed before he and the others turned their attention back to the battle.

"Now Tepig, start off with Sunny Day!" Dark yelled as the ball on Tepig's tail glowed and the sunlight suddenly got brighter.

"Good strategy, since Sunny Day raises the power of all Fire-Type moves, Minccino might be in for a hot and spicy battle." Cilan commented from where he and the others were hiding.

"Now, use Ember!" Dark yelled as Tepig fired small flames at Minccino who ran away from them.

"Go after Minccino with Flame Charge!" Dark yelled as Tepig stomped on the ground a few times before he followed after Minccino with Flame Charge as he kept pace with Minccino, then he rammed into Minccino, pushing him back and causing him to stop.

"Use Flame Charge once more!" Dark yelled as Tepig charged towards Minccino once again with Flame Charge who tried to counter it with Double Slap, only to end up being pushed back as he got a big burn on his tail, but that didn't stop Minccino as he rolled up his ears and took a deep breath before he used Hyper Voice on Tepig, causing him to try and cover his ears and it also made Dark cover his ears for some reason.

"Man, that was loud." Dark said uncovering his ears as did Tepig as they both looked around for Minccino who was now gone again.

"(Hey, where did he go?)" Tepig asked looking around, but then Minccino landed on Tepig's back and chuckled to himself.

"Dark, look out, Minccino's gonna use Tickle again!" Ash yelled as Minccino used Tickle on Tepig's belly as Tepig tried his best not to laugh.

Just as Minccino was starting to get tired from the tickling, he was unaware that his tail was starting to tickle Tepig on his nose as Tepig wiggled it and he looked like he was gonna sneeze, that's when Minccino stopped, got off Tepig and began to pant.

"He's off! Quick Dark, now's your chance!" Iris yelled as Dark nodded at his friend.

"Now Tepig, use... Huh?" Dark asked when he saw that Tepig was about to sneeze.

"(What should I-I-I-I...)" Tepig said before he let a big sneeze out, and as he sneezed, he shot out powerful flames at Minccino as Dark and the others were surprised at what Tepig just did.

"What just happened?" Iris asked still a little surprised.

"It looks like Tepig just used Flamethrower." Cilan said as Bianca suddenly stood next to Dark as Tepig stopped his attack as Minccino was wobbling back and forth a little.

"Wow, Tepig learned a new move. Okay Bianca, you can catch Minccino now." Dark said with a smile as Bianca got all happy as she dug through her bag again, but her face fell as she kept digging through.

"Come on, where is it!? I know I put it here!" Bianca yelled still digging through as Ash ran over to them as Minccino recovered from the last attack and took the time to escape.

Then Bianca finally found what she was looking for and yelled, "Aha, got it!" as Ash and Dark saw that she was holding a Pokeball, but it looked almost as dirty as the Badge Cases she gave Ash and Dark as Minccino saw the Pokeball as well, then his instincts kicked in as he ran over to them, pushing Tepig out of the way, and then climbed up to Bianca's shoulder as he used his tail to clean the Pokeball, then the Pokeball suddenly opened up and sucked the surprised Minccino inside, then it shook three times before it clicked.

Bianca blinked and then looked at Ash and Dark before she said, "Looks like I caught Minccino."

"That doesn't even count!" Ash yelled.

"Looks like it's my turn to shine. Bianca's unique personality and Minccino's unique battling style sure makes for a flavorsome combination!" Cilan evaluated as he and Iris stepped out of the bush they were hiding in.

"Good work Bianca." Dark said with a silly smile on his face while his tail slowly wagged behind him while Ash walked over to the tree where the Badge Case and Cilan's silverware were on.

"Alright, I just got Minccino!" Bianca cried with joy as she held the Pokeball up high as Ash got on the branch and grabbed his Badge Case which was now all clean.

"And I got my Badge Case!" Ash said holding it up high, but then the branch snapped as Ash fell down with his Badge Case and Cilan's silverware as Dark then ran over and caught Ash before he could hit the ground.

"Thanks for the save Dark." Ash said before Cilan's serving dome hit him on the head.

"(Ash!)" Pikachu called as he and Panpour ran over to their trainers.

"This really isn't my day, is it?" Ash asked as the spoon fell on top of the dome on Ash's head as he laughed a little and then said, "Well, I'm fine, no need to worry."

* * *

Later, the five trainers got to the nearest Pokemon Center and got their Pokemon all healed up.

"Thank you very much Nurse Joy." Dark said with a bow as Nurse Joy nodded and then handed Ash and Dark their eggs.

"I did a check-up on these as well. Your eggs are one of the healthiest I've seen in a while." Nurse Joy said giving Ash and Dark their eggs.

"Wow, thanks." Ash said as Bianca saw the eggs as well.

"So what kind of eggs are they?" Bianca asked in curiosity.

"We're not really sure ourselves." Dark answered with a shrug as Bianca nodded and then turned to Ash.

"Say Ash, how about a little battle?" Bianca asked with a smirk.

Ash blinked and then smirked right back as he said, "You're on."

* * *

Later, the trainers were behind the Pokemon Center as Ash and Bianca stood at the end of the battlefield.

"This will be a one-on-one match, each trainer will use one Pokemon! The battle is over when one Pokemon on either side is unable to battle!" Cilan declared, being the referee for the battle as Ash and Bianca nodded in agreement.

"This should be interesting." Iris said watching from the side with Axew and Cilan.

"(Yeah, it should.)" Axew agreed.

"Let's go Pignite!" Bianca yelled as she brought her Pignite out for a battle.

"She's not gonna use Minccino? Alright, then I'll use-" Ash was about to make his choice before Bianca interrupted him.

"Pikachu, go for Pikachu! Have Pikachu and Pignite battle each other!" Bianca shouted as Ash looked at Pikachu.

"Well?" Ash asked as Pikachu ran to the battlefield ready for battle.

"(Bring it on!)" Pikachu said as Ash smiled at his little friend.

"Alright, let the battle begin!" Cilan declared.

"Now Pignite, use Take Down!" Bianca yelled as Pignite ran forward as he charged into Pikachu head on as he was thrown into the air.

"Now, follow it up with Heat Crash!" Bianca yelled as Pignite jumped into the air and a big sphere of flames appeared around him as Pikachu recovered from the last attack while Ash gritted his teeth.

"Pikachu, use Iron Tail to cushion the impact!" Ash yelled as Pikachu nodded as he pressed his now Iron Tail against his back as Pignite's attack landed and the two Pokemon crashed into the ground.

"Come on Pikachu, you can do it!" Dark cheered while Panpour and Axew cheered with him as the smoke cleared and Pignite was standing in front of a crater with Pikachu inside as he struggled to stand up, but he did so anyway.

"Nice one buddy, now use Volt Tackle!" Ash yelled as Pikachu ran towards Pignite with his Volt Tackle ready.

"Counter it with Flame Charge, full power!" Bianca yelled as Pignite charged towards Pikachu with his Flame Charge ready as the two attacks collided with each other before they exploded as everyone else covered up their faces with the dirt kicking up.

Then, when the smoke cleared up, everyone saw that Pignite was on his back and knocked out.

"Well then, it appears that Pignite is unable to battle. So Ash and Pikachu are the winners!" Cilan announced.

"(Yay, they did it!)" Axew cheered happily.

"Wow, what a battle. It's hard to see how Bianca has more badges than Ash and Dark." Iris said as Cilan nodded in agreement.

"Pignite, return. You did great." Bianca said returning Pignite to his Pokeball before she walked over to Ash as did Dark, Iris, and Cilan.

"Ash, I may have lost, but I will get better! And Dark, I'll battle you soon. Until then, good luck with your Gym battle you two!" Bianca said before she ran off to continue her journey.

"Man, she moves fast." Iris said while sweat dropping.

"(Not as fast as Dark though.)" Panpour sighed.

"Yeah, well that's her own pace." Cilan said as Ash and Dark looked at their Badge Cases that sparkled in the sun.

"Well, at least I got to have a battle, Dark's Tepig learned Flamethrower, and our new Badge Cases are nice and clean." Ash said.

"And soon, we'll each have two badges in them." Dark added as Ash nodded in agreement as they are now more determined to challenge the Nacrene Gym.

* * *

Not only did Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan made a new friend in Bianca, but Ash and Dark also got new Badge Cases and Dark's Tepig learned Flamethrower. Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan finally reach Nacrene City in the next unbelievable chapter of Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	14. Night in the Nacrene Museum

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan met a girl named Bianca, then she gave Ash and Dark their own Badge Cases from Professor Juniper. Then, a Pokemon named Minccino came and suddenly grabbed Ash's Badge Case in an attempt to clean it up. The five trainers tried everything they could think of to catch Minccino, but all it took was Dark's Tepig learning Flamethrower and a dirty Pokeball from Bianca for Minccino to be caught by Bianca and for Ash to get his Badge Case back. Later, Ash and Bianca had a battle with Pikachu against Pignite, in the end Pikachu won and Bianca happily went on her way to continue her own journey. Now the four trainers have finally made it to Nacrene City and Ash and Dark can have their Gym battle... or can they?

Night in the Nacrene Museum

Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were finally at Nacrene City as they looked around to see all the colors around them.

"Wow, it's all so colorful and pretty." Dark said in awe.

"(It's actually making me a little dizzy.)" Panpour said quickly looking away.

"Yeah, I've heard that artists ask the city for permission to use those warehouses." Iris said pointing at the warehouses as Axew kept looking in awe along with Pikachu.

"Indeed Iris, and that's what makes this city known as 'the City of Art'." Cilan said with a nod.

"Exactly how many pieces of art are in this city?" Ash asked still looking around as did Dark.

"Quite a variety. You see Ash, many people come here so they can observe these pieces of art, and thus it has also gained the title of 'the City of Observation'." Cilan told them as they kept walking.

"Well they can call it whatever they like, but I'm heading straight for the Gym!" Ash said ready for his Gym battle.

"Yeah, so am I!" Dark said with excitement with his tail waging behind him.

"Well then, you two should head to the Nacrene Museum, after all that's where the Gym is." Cilan said as Dark tilted his head in confusion as did Panpour.

"Uh, what's a Museum?" Dark asked as Ash, Iris, and Cilan fell over.

Cilan got back up, sweat dropped, and said, "Maybe it'd be best if I just show you."

* * *

Soon, the four trainers were now in front of a big building, but then they saw a big sign in front of them.

"(Looks like we can't get in at the moment.)" Pikachu sighed seeing the sign.

Then Dark took a deep breath, cupped his hands in front of his mouth, and then shouted, "HELLO! ME AND MY FRIEND WANT TO CHALLENGE THE GYM! IS ANYONE IN THERE!?" while Ash, Iris, Cilan, Panpour, Pikachu, and Axew covered their ears while Dark shouted in the air.

"I guess they didn't hear me." Dark said with his hands behind his head.

"(With you being really loud, what are the odds?)" Pikachu asked while glaring at Dark.

"I'll try something else." Dark said before he jumped over the sign and went over to the door.

"Dark, wait!" Ash yelled running after Dark.

"You two can't do that!" Iris yelled running after Ash and Dark as did Cilan, but then he noticed a poster on the side, so he decided to check it out.

"Take a look at this. Ancient Artifacts Exhibit, and it's today." Cilan said with his arms crossed before he went over to the door and tried to turn the handles, then he asked, "But why is it closed today?"

"I'll find out." Dark said as he backed up until his back was up against the sign, but then he and the others heard someone scream on the other side, and then the doors flew open and a man came out and fell down to the floor as the others went over to his side.

"Get it away, get it away!" the man yelled as he pointed inside the Museum as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan saw nothing inside.

"Uh... is something wrong?" Iris asked the man who nodded and then looked into the hallway to find nothing, which confused him.

"Where did it go? What happened to the Dome Fossil that was chasing me?" the man asked confusing Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan.

"A Dome Fossil was chasing you? We don't see anything." Ash said.

"I'm telling the truth." the man said as the four trainers looked at each other and went inside along with the man they met.

When they got inside, Ash and Dark saw some sort of rock and they examined it a little, but then Dark picked it up and looked at it closely once more.

"Is this what you were talking about?" Dark asked the man pointing at what he was holding as Ash quickly took it and put it back.

"The Dome Fossil is fine." Cilan told the man who now had a pale face.

"B-But that can't be..." the man said shaking a little.

"Please, tell us everything." Cilan said as the man nodded and began to explain what happened to him.

* * *

Soon, they were outside the Museum sitting at a table as the man began to explain what happened.

"It was last night when the artifacts for the Ancient exhibit came. They were late and as such we were in a hurry to get them all in order. By the time we were done, it was extremely late and I was doing an inventory of the artifacts, when suddenly, the lights went out. Thinking it was an power outage, I went to the light switch and that's when I heard them." the man began explaining.

"What did you hear?" Dark asked tilting his head in confusion.

"Footsteps from behind, then I heard a cry, it wasn't a human one. I turned and asked them to come out, however it was... A flame, a blue flame that hovered in the air, and then I fled. I had to get the workers back, then we investigated the entire Museum, but we couldn't find anything out of the ordinary when we did. And as the patrons come first..." the man trailed off.

"You had to shut down the Museum." Cilan finished as the man nodded.

"It was in the morning that we were done and then I sent the workers back home. I went to do a last check..." the man trailed off again.

"And that's when you got chased by that rock called a Dome Fossil?" Dark asked as the man once again nodded.

"I don't get it, what's going on in that Museum?" Ash asked while looking at the Museum while Iris thought about it for a moment.

"A curse." Iris said as the others turned to her.

"What do you mean Iris?" Dark asked scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"Isn't it obvious? An angry ghost has labelled the Museum as a threat to it and that's all there is to it." Iris said standing up as Axew went back into Iris' hair in fear.

"Actually, I think you might be overreacting Iris. There's a scientific explanation for this." Cilan said standing up as well.

"Overreacting, am I!?" Iris yelled in anger.

"Of course. Like I said, science is the key to solve everything. Superstition merely clogs up the investigation." Cilan said with confidence.

"Is that so? Well then, use your science to figure out what this is then!" Iris challenged.

"Naturally, I never turn down a challenge. This is turning out to be a flavorsome day." Cilan said as Ash and Dark looked between them before they looked at each other.

"But... what are you saying?" the man asked as Iris and Cilan turned to him.

"I'll figure out why a ghost would want to haunt your Museum, I just know it!" Iris declared with confidence.

"I'll do the same, with science. I'll find out why your Museum is acting strange." Cilan said with a confident smirk before Ash remembered why they were in Nacrene City in the first place.

"Hang on! What about my Gym battle? And what about Dark's Gym battle?" Ash asked with a hand on Dark's back.

"(Isn't that the reason we're here in the first place!?)" Pikachu yelled agreeing with Ash.

"I don't think we have time for that now Ash." Dark said making Ash sigh in defeat.

"Besides, you two can't battle without Lenora." the man said as the four trainers turned to him.

"Who's Lenora?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Oh right, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Hawes, the co-curator. Lenora is my wife, and she's also the Gym Leader here." Hawes introduced.

"Really? That's so cool! I'm Ash, and this is Pikachu." Ash introduced as Pikachu waved.

"I'm Dark, and this is my buddy Panpour." Dark introduced as Panpour waved as well.

"I'm Iris, and that's Cilan." Iris introduced as Cilan bowed.

"Is it okay if we have a look around the Museum?" Cilan asked as Hawes nodded.

"That's fine, please come with me." Hawes said before he lead them back to the Museum.

* * *

Later, they were all back in the Museum.

"I'll give you a tour if you like." Hawes offered as Ash, Iris, and Cilan nodded their heads while Dark just tilted his head in confusion, then they were standing in front of the Dome Fossil once more.

"So, what's a Kanto fossil doing here in the Unova Region?" Ash asked.

"Well, Kabuto did actually live on these shores. According to the age of the fossil, this happened around three hundred million years ago." Hawes explained as Dark took his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Kabuto, the Shellfish Pokemon. It is thought to have inhabited beaches three hundred million years ago. It is protected by a stiff shell." the Pokedex explained as Dark looked at the Pokemon the Pokedex was showing and then back at the Dome Fossil with a silly smile on his face.

"Wow, I'd like to meet a Kabuto one day." Dark said before they continued with the tour, later they were now in front of a big skeleton.

"Is that... a Dragonite skeleton?" Iris asked while she and Axew were looking at the skeleton in awe.

"Yep, this is the largest skeletal model of a Dragonite in the world. It's one of the major attractions of the Museum." Hawes explained before he noticed something was off, then they heard someone biting on something as they looked and saw that Dark was trying to take a bite out of the skeleton before he stopped and had his tongue out.

"Yuck, that doesn't taste very good." Dark said before Iris pulled him away and then smacked him on the head.

"Are you crazy Dark!? Don't ever do that again!" Iris scolded before Hawes lead them to another part of the Museum, one with a container with a rock inside.

"This is one of the Museum's most important pieces, a meteorite called the Meteonite." Hawes pointed out as the others looked at it each with a surprised look on their faces.

"So... it came from outer space?" Cilan asked as Hawes nodded.

"It is assumed that it holds a large amount of cosmic energy." Hawes answered.

"Cosmic energy?" Cilan asked with interest while Hawes shrugged his shoulders.

"I'll never know. Let me show you the exhibit." Hawes said as he lead them to the Ancient Artifact Exhibit as Ash and Dark spotted some armor suits.

"What are these? Suits of armor?" Ash asked as Hawes nodded.

Dark looked at the artifacts at the end of the room, pointed at them, and asked, "What's that?"

"Oh! Those artifacts were found in some ruins, and it's said that the ruins itself were those that Cofagrigus were found in." Hawes informed the four trainers as Dark took his Pokedex out again to find out more.

"Cofagrigus, the Coffin Pokemon. It has been said that they swallow those who get too close and turn them into mummies. They like to eat gold nuggets. They pretend to be elaborate coffins to teach lessons to grave robbers. Their bodies are covered in pure gold." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away.

"Cofagrigus, does this make it a real specimen?" Cilan asked pointing at the coffin in front of them.

"No, it's just a replica. See?" Hawes said lifting the lid as they saw nothing inside.

"Well, it could've fooled me." Cilan said, impressed with the replica.

"This replica, it's at the center of the curse, I'm positive!" Iris said after some hard thinking.

"(Only fools are positive.)" Panpour said silently.

"(Are you sure Panpour?)" Pikachu asked with a smirk.

"(Yeah, I'm positive.)" Panpour said before he realized what he just said, and then he told himself, "(Oh man, I fell for it! I should've known!)" while Pikachu was snickering to himself.

Cilan didn't listen to the two Pokemon as he crossed his arms, laughed, and said to Iris, "And what makes you say that, your sixth sense? There's no evidence there, so it's just a hunch."

Iris was gritting her teeth at what Cilan just said while Ash and Dark were looking back and forth between their two friends, but then Ash spotted something else, it was a strange mask in another exhibit as Ash asked, "Hey Hawes, what's that?" this turned everyone's attention to the mask.

"That's a Yamask mask. Yamask frequently appear in these ruins, so it's natural for them to be here. Though, like the coffin, the mask is another replica." Hawes explained before he lead the group to a room filled with books as he explained, "Here is the library. With so much information on artifacts here, there are a lot of sources to study from. And that is the end of the tour. Well, what do you think?"

"Well, as far as I can tell, everything is fine." Cilan said, but Iris thought differently.

"I'm not so sure. Ash, Dark, what do you two think?" Iris asked her two friends.

"Well I know one thing." Ash said with his arms crossed as the others looked at him with interest, but then they heard Ash's stomach growled before he said, It's time for lunch."

"Lunch sounds pretty good, I'm getting hungry myself." Dark said as his stomach growled too, and it was louder than Ash's stomach as Iris, Cilan, and Hawes fell over.

"Can't you two take this a little seriously?" Iris asked with a dull expression on her face.

"Is it okay if we sleep here tonight Hawes?" Cilan asked, surprising Hawes.

"Really?" Hawes asked.

"Of course, that way we can keep an eye on anything that happens here." Cilan said as Dark nodded in agreement.

"Absolutely, ghosts are more active in the night anyway. It'd be a great way to find out what's going on." Iris added as Hawes smiled at the four trainers.

"Well, you may be kids, but you're definitely brave." Hawes said as Iris smiled and looked at Ash and Dark.

"Actually there are only two kids here." Iris said as Ash glared at her.

"Hey, what do you mean by that!?" Ash yelled making the others laugh.

* * *

Later that night, everyone was setting up their sleeping bags, but of course, Dark didn't have a sleeping bag on him, but he didn't really mind.

"Are you guys going to be okay?" Hawes asked the trainers as Ash and Dark looked at their eggs.

"Sure, we've been through worse." Ash said.

"And it's kinda fun." Dark added with a silly smile.

"But what happens when things start to move?" Hawes asked looking around the library nervously.

"Then that's when we'll move! Dark might be a little guy, but I'm pretty sure he can handle just about anything the ghost throws at us. Everything will be fine." Iris said ruffling Dark's hair a little as Hawes nodded and smiled at the four trainers.

* * *

Soon, Iris shook Ash awake and she was now doing the same for Dark.

"What's the matter?" Ash asked rubbing one of his eyes before he yawned.

"I feel something something in the air, it's unnatural. Something's coming closer, I can feel it." Iris said still trying to wake Dark up as Cilan woke up and sighed.

"Don't give us that. Provide some evidence next time." Cilan said then he saw Iris shaking Dark to wake him up.

"Come on Dark, it's time to get up." Iris said shaking him some more before she stopped.

"Sure, I'd love seconds, thanks Cilan." Dark said in his sleep as the others sighed.

"Does he ever think of anything besides food?" Iris asked while sweat dropping.

"I know." Cilan said as he walked over and then told Dark, "Wake up Dark, it's breakfast time!" that's when Dark's eyes were wide open as he looked around.

"Hey, where's breakfast?" Dark asked still looking around, but then some fog surrounded them.

"See!? I told you!" Iris said as Hawes woke up and saw the fog as he jumped up.

"W-What's going on?" Hawes asked in fear as the fog got thicker making the others sweat a little, then Dark heard something.

"This is bad, the ghost is angry." Iris said.

Cilan scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous, the venting system must have broken down."

"I don't know what you're talking about Cilan, but I hear something over there." Dark said pointing ahead as they heard some clanging sounds coming closer and closer, then they saw an armor suit come from the fog heading straight towards them as Hawes screamed and backed away before he fell to the floor.

"Alright Cilan, where's your science now?" Iris asked as Cilan smiled and shook his head.

"Easy, someone's controlling the armor from the outside." Cilan calmly said as the armor drew his sword.

"And that?" Iris countered.

"It's simply the use of string." Cilan said, even though he was starting to doubt that theory.

The armor started to approach them as Dark charged towards the armor himself even though Ash yelled, "Dark, wait, get back here!"

The armor swung the sword at Dark who jumped up to avoid the swing before he kicked the armor sending it crashing to the wall, then the armor fell to the ground as a blue flame floated above the armor.

"W-What's that?" Hawes asked while shaking.

"Merely some sort of electrical discharge when Dark kicked the armor, that's all." Cilan calmly said as the flame approached Dark and it circled around his body as he laughed, even though he felt heat on his skin.

"Hey, cut it out, that tickles!" Dark laughed before the flame floated away from him and went after Hawes who ran away as the flames chased after him.

"(Hang on, I'll get it!)" Panpour yelled before he fired a Water Gun at the blue flame, but then the helmet from the armor floated up and chased after Hawes just like the flame.

"Hmm, the magnetic field must have changed, causing the armor to float." Cilan said watching the helmet chase Hawes.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Ash yelled as Pikachu ran and smashed his Iron Tail against the helmet, causing it to land on the ground as Iris looked at it with a frown on her face.

"You know, it looks like the ghost is after you Hawes." Iris said surprising and scaring Hawes even more.

"Wh-What!? But why? I haven't even-" Hawes was interrupted when water started to fall above everyone's heads.

"Is it raining?" Dark asked looking at the drops of water falling around them.

"Not quite. You see Dark, this is just the sprinklers." Cilan said before the water stopped falling as they wiped the water from their heads while Pikachu, Panpour, and Dark shook themselves dry.

"What's going on?" Ash asked before they heard something else coming from the end of the hall as Hawes shook some more.

"T-T-That's what I heard last night!" Hawes said backing away in fear.

"It must be the spirit!" Iris declared.

"Not at all, the low frequency sound waves must have caused things to make sounds." Cilan said shaking his head a little.

"It doesn't matter, that noise is happening and we have to see where it's coming from." Ash said as he and the others ran down the hall to the Ancient Artifact Exhibit where the noise was coming from as something caught Dark's eye.

"Hey guys, look, the mask is crying." Dark said pointing at the mask as they saw that tears were rolling down from one of the eyes of the mask.

"Actually Dark, it's not really crying. It's just condensation on the surface of it." Cilan explained before the mask suddenly rose up and hit against the glass.

"What the...!? The angry ghost lies in that mask!" Iris yelled as the mask kept banging against the glass.

"Hardly, it must be attracted to something here in this room." Cilan said before the mask suddenly stopped hitting against the glass, then they heard someone else stomp towards them as they turned to see the Dragonite skeleton coming closer to them as Hawes backed away in fear.

"This must be the spirit thingy haunting us." Dark said pointing at the skeleton as Cilan didn't have a scientific explanation for it as the skeleton just walked towards the glass as the group stepped out of the way as it punched the glass where the mask was.

"Pansage, use Bullet Seed!" Cilan yelled bringing Pansage out as he fired his Bullet Seed at the skeleton.

"I'll help out! Sandile, use Stone Edge!" Dark yelled as he brought Sandile out as he fired sharp stones at the skeleton to help Pansage out as the skeleton fell over after crying out the same noise they heard before.

"Was that the voice of the spirit?" Iris asked.

"It must be from the mask, let me take a look." Hawes said before he took a card key out of his pocket as he swiped it, causing the glass to open, but then the mask moved by itself and flew right into Cilan's face as he tried his best to take the mask off.

"Cilan, hang on!" Dark yelled as he, Ash, and Iris ran over to try and help get the mask off Cilan, but it wouldn't come off.

"It won't budge!" Ash grunted, but then Cilan threw Ash, Dark, and Iris off of him.

"Cilan, what's wrong?" Dark asked as Cilan suddenly turned to them.

"Now..." Cilan said even though his voice sounded strange as he raised both his hands as blue flames formed above them before he threw them at the others as Ash and Iris ran out of the way while Dark jumped up to dodge the flames.

"What's wrong Cilan?" Ash asked.

"He's been possessed by the ghost!" Iris told Ash and Dark.

"Possess, what does that mean?" Dark asked in confusion.

"It means he's been taken over by the angry spirit." Iris explained.

"But why Cilan?" Ash asked.

"It might be because he didn't accept the fact that it was real in the first place." Iris said as they all turned to the possessed Pokemon Connoisseur.

"Please spirit, tell us why you're so angry." Iris said stepping up.

"You locked it up... The mask is precious... to me..." the ghost possessing Cilan said stepping forward as well.

"The mask you've placed on our friend?" Dark asked when someone else gave the answer.

"Of course, after all that Yamask mask is real." everyone turned to see a woman with bushy blue hair, blue jean pants, and a white shirt in the Museum.

"Dear! I'm so glad that you're here!" Hawes sighed in relief surprising the others.

"Dear? Does that mean you're Lenora?" Ash asked as the woman nodded her head before she turned to Hawes.

"Where did you get that mask anyway?" Lenora asked Hawes.

"Well, it was late last night, I found it on the ground when we were loading the artifacts. I assumed that it was a part of the exhibit, so I put it in the Museum." Hawes explained while the possessed Pokemon Connoisseur raised his hand up and the Dragonite skeleton was back on his feet.

"Get out..." the ghost said as Lenora got a Pokeball out.

"Watchog, go!" Lenora yelled as she brought out a Pokemon that had bright yellow stripes around its body as they glowed while the spirit covered his face like the others did while Ash brought his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Watchog, the Lookout Pokemon, and the evolved form of Patrat. When they see an enemy, their tails stand high, and they spit the seeds of berries stored in their cheek pouches. They make the patterns on their bodies shine in order to threaten predators. Keen eyesight lets them see in the dark." the Pokedex explained before Lenora spoke up again.

"Well then Yamask, don't be shy, come on out." Lenora said as the mask finally came off Cilan's face as he stumbled a bit.

"What happened?" Cilan asked as his friends ran over to him.

"You okay Cilan?" Dark asked as Cilan nodded before they saw the mask floating above them, and then a Pokemon with a black body and red eyes appeared, causing everyone, except for Lenora to gasp as Ash used his Pokedex once more.

"Yamask, the Spirit Pokemon, and the pre-evolved form of Cofagrigus. Each of them carries a mask that used to be its face when it was human. Sometimes they look at it and cry. These Pokemon arose from the spirits of people interred in graves in past ages. Each retains memories of its former life." the Pokedex explained before Ash put it away.

"You see? Yamask here must have been brought in with the artifacts. It must have lost its mask when it was being brought in. You put it in the display case, assuming that it was a replica. And when it saw the mask in the case, it assumed you stole it." Lenora explained.

"So Yamask did all that?" Dark asked as Lenora nodded her head.

"Of course. The movement of the objects, that was Yamask's Psychic, the fog was Haze, the rain from before was Rain Dance, and the blue flames were Will-O-Wisp." Cilan said remembering what happened earlier in the Museum.

"Yamask, I'm truly sorry for my mistake. If you could find it in your heart, can you forgive me?" Hawes said bowing in front of Yamask who smiled and then nodded.

"Wonderful, thank you very much." Lenora said to Yamask.

"So Yamask is a neat Pokemon in the end after all." Ash said while looking at the happy Yamask.

"(Pretty neat.)" Pikachu agreed with his trainer.

* * *

Soon, everyone exited the Museum and watched as Yamask was getting ready to leave.

"You're going already Yamask?" Dark asked as Yamask turned and happily nodded.

"Well then, you can come back anytime." Lenora said.

"(Thank you all, I'll see you again some day!)" Yamask said happily before it flew off into the distance.

"See you later!" Ash waved as did the others.

"And take good care of that mask!" Iris called.

"(And if a random Pokemon offers a strange looking item, just say no!)" Panpour yelled to Yamask when the sun was starting to rise.

"Hey, look at the Sunrise." Dark said happily as Hawes smiled at the little guy.

"Indeed, and the scent of that morning air, spectacular!" Cilan commented standing next to Dark.

"And it's perfect for a Gym battle!" Ash said as Dark nodded in agreement while Lenora raised an eyebrow.

"So you two are here for a Gym battle?" Lenora asked as Ash and Dark turned to her.

"Yep, I'm Ash, from Pallet Town!" Ash introduced with an eager smile.

"And I'm Dark, from the forest in Nuvema Town!" Dark introduced surprising Lenora when he told her where he was from, but then she smiled at the two challengers.

"I see, well then challenge accepted. I'm eager to see how you two battle. So, which one of you wants to go first?" Lenora asked as Ash and Dark looked at each other.

"I'll let Ash battle you first, I'll go after him." Dark said making Ash smile at his friend.

"Alright, I can't wait to see your battle style Ash." Lenora said.

"You bet, and I hope you're ready for me!" Ash said with determination.

* * *

After helping a Yamask get its mask back, Ash and Dark are now ready to battle against Lenora for their second Unova Region Gym Badge. How will Ash's Gym battle turn out? Can Dark do good against Lenora? What kind of Pokemon will Lenora even use? Find out as Ash's second Unova Region Gym battle begins next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	15. The Battle According to Lenora

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, after arriving to Nacrene City, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan have heard that something strange has been happening in the Nacrene Museum/Gym. They were told by Hawes that it was haunted by something mysterious. Soon, after spending the night in the Museum, and with a little help from Lenora, the Gym Leader, everyone found out that the cause of the strange things was a Pokemon named Yamask who was just trying to get its mask back. Now that all that's settled and Yamask is happily reunited with its mask, there's only one thing Ash and Dark have on their minds now, their Gym battle.

The Battle According to Lenora

Lenora and Hawes were walking through the library while Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were following them.

"Say Lenora, where exactly is the battlefield?" Ash asked as they kept walking.

Cilan nodded and looked around, "Having a battle here would be a unique recipe, however I find it hard to believe that something would be here."

"Don't worry, you'll see soon enough." Lenora said as she continued to lead them until they reached a door as Hawes put his hand on the scanner next to it, and the door was opened right away, taking Dark and Panpour by surprise.

"Wow, Hawes just put his hand on the wall and the door opened right!" Dark said in shock.

"That's just a scanner to keep thieves from that room silly, let's go." Lenora said before they entered the room to find more shelves filled with books.

"(Wow, look at that.)" Pikachu said in awe.

"(What? It's just more books.)" Panpour said not impressed.

"This is reserved and you can only enter if you have permission from either me or Hawes." Lenora said as Hawes nodded his head.

"This room has everything about the Unova Region, all of Unova's culture and history can be learned once you read these books. Plus you can learn some things about the other regions." Hawes explained as Dark looked around in confusion while Cilan walked over to one of the shelves.

"Incredible, you even have books on the study of Pokemon Connoisseurs!" Cilan said with excitement as Lenora nodded.

"Of course, after all Unova is the home of most Connoisseurs. Do you have an interest?" Lenora asked as Cilan nodded.

"Of course, I'm on this journey because of my interest towards finding out all about the various connections between Pokemon and their trainers." Cilan told Lenora who smiled at the Pokemon Connoisseur.

"Ah the energy of youth, I wish you luck, so go ahead and browse." Lenora said as Cilan nodded and began to look at the books about Pokemon Connoisseurs as Lenora moved forward towards Ash and Dark who were in the middle of the room and then she patted Ash on the shoulder and Dark on the head as she said, "Well, since you two are here, you two might as well try and study the Unova Region, sharpen up your brain power a little."

"I don't know if I even have anything like that." Dark said as Iris heard that and giggled lightly to herself.

"So he does have a weakness after all." Iris thought while looking at Dark.

"Well, you see, me and Dark wanted to have our Gym battles right off the bat." Ash said scratching the back of his head while Pikachu and Panpour agreed.

"I know, and that's why I brought you two here. After all, as Hawes said, the only people allowed in this room are researchers and challengers. And you know which category you two fit into, right?" Lenora asked as they moved down the room a little more.

"Yeah." Ash said with a nod.

"But why are we here?" Dark asked in confusion as they stopped in front of another shelf.

"Well, knowledge can be vital in a battle. Knowledge about Pokemon, their abilities, what they can do, the amount of knowledge that someone can learn is limitless." Lenora said as she approached one of the books on the shelf behind them as she tapped it as Ash and Dark looked at the book she was tapping as she said, "And this one is the best one to start with."

"It is?" Dark asked tilting his head while Ash's face fell a little.

"I guess, but I really wanted to have a Gym Battle instead of reading." Ash sighed.

"(I'm with you my man.)" Pikachu agreed with his own sigh while Iris and Cilan approached them.

"You know, it could be worse." Iris whispered to Ash and Dark.

"You know, this might be a way to test you two. After all, with our Gym Battle back in Striaton City it was done by choosing your opponent, so maybe this is just her way. Perhaps your area of knowledge is something that Lenora might use to her advantage." Cilan whispered as well.

"Oh, I get it, it's just like testing a person's skills and abilities in a Martial Arts fight, isn't it?" Dark asked with a silly smile on his face as Panpour sighed and smacked his forehead while Lenora looked at Dark carefully as she kept tapping on the book.

"Uh... sure, let's go with that." Cilan said while sweat dropping a little as Ash closed his eyes and thought about it, but then he suddenly yelled, surprising everyone in the room.

"Fine, if it's for the Gym Battle, then I'll read anything!" Ash yelled before he went over to the shelf and picked the book that Lenora suggested, then there was a clicking sound as the entire wall suddenly moved up to reveal a set of stairs that went down to another floor as Ash gulped nervously.

"Uh Lenora, what's down there?" Dark asked while pointing at the stairs as Hawes joined them.

"It's the battlefield, of course. Don't you think that Ash is quite direct in his approach?" Hawes asked Lenora who nodded.

"It's just like what Connoisseur Boy was saying. I was testing you two ever since we walked in here." Lenora said to Ash and Dark while Cilan was grumbling a little about what Lenora called him.

"(You were testing Ash and Dark this entire time?)" Pikachu asked in confusion.

"(Can we please have some more details?)" Panpour asked, he was just as confused as Pikachu.

"You see, whenever I tell a challenger to go to a book, practically every time they go for a book that they are interested in." Lenora explained as Iris and Cilan realized what she was talking about.

"So trainers usually look towards some other book instead of the one that you suggest?" Iris asked as Lenora nodded.

"Even though I show them the straight path towards the Gym." Lenora said as Cilan nodded.

"But what's the point of doing that?" Cilan asked.

"Because some challengers will get too distracted by reading too much into what I say. So sometimes they will choose some books that they're interested in or books that they can finish quickly. Interesting, isn't it? I can usually tell the psychology of a trainer due to what they do in this situation." Lenora explained as Hawes nodded in agreement.

Iris placed a hand on Ash's shoulder, another on Dark's Head, pushed them forward a little, and then she asked, "So what kind of trainers are Ash and Dark then?"

"Well, with Ash it's both an aspect of judging a book by its cover, yet it's not, while Dark caught on even if he didn't know it. However, trainers with similar personalities usually direct their attentions to books they're interested in. But Ash and Dark are different in their own ways. To be honest, I'm quite excited to see how they do on the battlefield." Lenora explained as Hawes shook his head.

"In my opinion, it should be fairly easy to see through." Hawes said as they went down the stairs to the battlefield.

* * *

As soon as they made it, Ash and Dark were the first ones to enter the battlefield as they looked at it in awe as did Pikachu and Panpour.

"Yeah, come on Lenora, let's go on ahead and battle!" Ash said with anticipation as Dark's tail was happily wagging behind him as the others entered the room.

Lenora sighed, "Really? Is that all you two want to do? Don't you two perhaps want to know what Pokemon I'm going to use?"

"Yes please." Dark said politely as Lenora pulled out two Pokeballs as she threw one of them and brought Watchog out as he crossed his arms.

"You two have already met Watchog, but not this one!" Lenora said before she threw another Pokeball and brought out a Pokemon that looks like a cute little puppy as it happily barked.

"It's so cute!" Iris exclaimed before she ran over to the Puppy Pokemon as she said, "Why, hello there." that caused the Puppy Pokemon to jump into her arms before it began to lick her face as she said, "Lenora, your Lillipup is just the cutest thing!"

"Lillipup?" Ash asked in confusion as Pikachu and Panpour got down to say hi to Lillipup while Dark took his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Lillipup, the Puppy Pokemon. The long hair covering Lillipup's face is an excellent radar, which senses conditions in the surrounding area." the Pokedex explained while Ash looked at both Lillipup and Watchog.

"They're both Normal-Types." Ash pointed out as Dark put his Pokedex away.

"Don't underestimate them though, both of them react well to Lenora's commands and they're well trained. Not only that, but they often help with Museum security, so don't think that this will be a walk in the park just because they're Normal-Types." Hawes explained.

"Normal-Types are perfect for Gym Battles, with limitations like Fighting-Types and Ghost-Types, but it's easy to get around that to my advantage. They're the perfect choice in battle." Lenora said before she and Iris giggled when they saw that Lillipup started to chase Dark's tail that was waving behind him.

"She's right, being limited by weaknesses does prove to be a tricky thing. Yet at the same time, the fact that Lenora chose to reveal her Pokemon to Ash and Dark does reveal a smell of confidence that lies for the Gym Leader. The blend between the type of test for challengers and using Normal-Types does have a scent of a wonderful recipe." Cilan pointed out as Iris sweat dropped at him.

Lenora laughed, "Well, I'm glad to hear you say that Connoisseur Boy, that's exactly the type of battle I enjoy." then she turned to Hawes who nodded in understanding before they looked at Ash and Dark to find out who's going first.

"You go first Ash, you've been waiting for this." Dark offered.

"Thanks Dark." Ash said as Hawes nodded once again and went to the side as Dark, Iris, and Cilan went over to watch.

"Alright, the battle between Ash, the challenger and Lenora, the Gym Leader will be a two-on-two Pokemon battle. And the battle will be over if both Pokemon on either side are unable to battle, and Pokemon from both sides can be freely substituted at any time during the course of the battle." Hawes explained.

"And my first choice will be Lillipup." Lenora said returning Watchog to his Pokeball while Lillipup got to Lenora's side on the battlefield and growled, signaling that he's ready for battle while Iris flinched at the sudden change of attitude.

"What just happened to Lillipup?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Lillipup certainly seems to have a mix of flavors. He must realize that it's time to battle, all other rules are out. This is gonna get serious." Cilan said with a smile.

"Go for it Ash!" Iris cheered as Axew popped out of her hair to join in the cheer.

"I wonder what Pokemon Ash is gonna use against Lillipup?" Dark asked Pikachu and Panpour who simply shrugged before Ash pulled a Pokeball out.

"Alright, Tepig, I choose you!" Ash yelled as he brought Tepig out as he blew flames out his snout, ready for battle.

"That's some great spirit there." Cilan commented as Iris nodded in agreement.

"Yep, Tepig realizes that Ash trusts him with this battle, so he wants to live up to that trust." Iris agreed.

"Go Ash and Tepig, you two can do it!" Dark happily cheered.

"(Go Ash, go Tepig, go, go, GO!)" Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew cheered as well.

"Let's start this off with Ember!" Ash yelled as Tepig got ready to fire small flames at Lillipup.

"Not so fast! Lillipup, use Roar!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup suddenly roared at Tepig, taking him off guard, but then he was suddenly sucked back into his Pokeball and then another one of Ash's Pokeballs popped open and Oshawott appeared in Tepig's place as he looked like he was asleep, but soon he was wide awake and he was just as confused as Ash, Dark, and the others.

"What just happened?" Dark asked in confusion.

"First time seeing Roar in action, isn't it? You see, it's a move that forces opponents to switch Pokemon inside a battle." Lenora explained as Ash gritted his teeth as Lenora suddenly returned Lillipup and brought Watchog out to battle Oshawott.

"So, you're using Watchog, huh? In that case..." Ash said holding Oshawott's Pokeball in his hand, but Lenora was slightly faster.

"Watchog, Mean Look!" Lenora yelled as Watchog's eyes glowed and a purple light came from them and enveloped around Oshawott's body as Ash tried to return Oshawott, but the red light bounced off of Oshawott's body.

"Don't even try it Ash, Mean Look is a move that prevents you from switching out your Pokemon, it's futile." Lenora remarked while Ash growled a little.

"Using Roar to switch out Pokemon, and then using Mean Look to prevent switching Pokemon, it's a psychological tactic that's made for this battle. Look at Ash, if he continues to get thrown off during the battle, there will be no way for him to recover." Cilan told Dark and Iris while Ash clenched his fists.

"Looks like Ash has no choice but to use Oshawott, but I still believe he can do this. Go for it Ash, use this to your own advantage!" Dark cheered as Ash smiled and nodded his head.

"Come on Oshawott, you heard Dark, we can do this!" Ash encouraged.

"(Yeah, sure, whatever.)" Oshawott said with annoyance.

"Oshawott doesn't look too happy." Dark told Iris.

"He must be really upset about battling first." Iris said.

"Oshawott, Water Gun!" Ash yelled as Oshawott fired his Water Gun at Watchog.

"Watchog, Low Kick!" Lenora commanded as Watchog dodged Water Gun and kicked Oshawott in the legs, causing him to lose balance before he landed on his back.

"Oshawott, are you okay?" Ash asked as Oshawott got back on his feet.

"Now Watchog, use Thunderbolt!" Lenora yelled as Watchog fired a Thunderbolt attack at Oshawott.

"Deflect it with your scalchop!" Ash yelled as Oshawott deflected Thunderbolt using his scalchop before Ash said, "Yeah, way to go Oshawott." that caused Oshawott to proudly hold his scalchop high.

"So Oshawott has a way to counter Electric-Type attacks, now that's really impressive." Lenora said, but she yelled, "Now Watchog, use Low Kick!" then Watchog charged towards Oshawott again.

"Oshawott, use Razor Shell!" Ash yelled as Oshawott kept holding on to his scalchop as he got his Razor Shell ready as the two Pokemon got closer.

"Gotcha. Now use your tail to smash the scalchop out of Oshawott's grip!" Lenora smirked as Watchog spun on the ground as it hit Oshawott causing him to lose his grip on the scalchop as it landed on the ground behind Oshawott as he tried to get it back.

"Now use Thunderbolt!" Lenora yelled as Watchog fired another Thunderbolt at Oshawott.

"Oshawott, counter it with Water Gun!" Ash yelled as Oshawott turned around and fired a Water Gun at the Thunderbolt attack, but Thunderbolt was slightly stronger as it hit Oshawott head first as he cried in pain before he was knocked out.

"Oshawott is unable to battle, Watchog wins!" Hawes declared as Ash gritted his teeth and returned Oshawott to his Pokeball.

"Thanks Oshawott, you did great." Ash said before he got Tepig's Pokeball out again.

"Wow, Lenora really had Ash on the run. And I get to battle her next!" Dark said with excitement with his tail wagging happily behind him.

"Tepig, I choose you!" Ash yelled as he brought Tepig back out and he was even more excited for the battle.

"Tepig seems even more pumped than before! This is going to be great!" Iris said as Dark nodded in agreement.

"In that case, return Watchog." Lenora said returning Watchog before she brought her Lillipup back out.

"Tepig, Tackle!" Ash yelled as Tepig ran towards Lillipup.

"Dodge it!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup dodged Tepig's attack with surprisingly great speed, catching the others off guard.

"Now, use Shadow Ball!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup summoned a ball of purple energy and then fired it at Tepig as it hit him and sent him rolling on the ground.

"Tepig!" Ash and Dark cried at the same time as Tepig slowly got up, the attack really did a number on him.

"Hang in there and use Ember!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired small flames at Lillipup.

"Dodge and finish this with Take Down!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup dodged Tepig's Ember attack, then his body glowed yellow as he charged towards Tepig as the two Pokemon collided with each other and everyone saw that Tepig was unable to battle.

"Tepig is unable to battle, Lillipup wins! That means the winner is Lenora, the Gym Leader!" Hawes declared as Ash walked over to Tepig who sadly got back up as Ash patted Tepig on the head.

"Thanks Tepig, you really gave it your all." Ash said with a smile.

"(Yeah right.)" Tepig said with depression as Pikachu got off Dark's shoulder to join Ash and Tepig.

"Come on, I mean it. It's not your fault, it's mine, I didn't use the right timing and strategy. I'm sorry." Ash said as Tepig turned to him as Dark, Iris, and Cilan walked over to him.

"I'm sorry about what happened Ash." Dark said patting Ash on the shoulder.

"Both Tepig and Oshawott gave it their all, yet we still lost. It just shows that there's still places where I can improve, even though I've done a lot of traveling." Ash said before he stood up to face Lenora and Hawes.

"Lenora, thank you very much for taking the time to battling me." Ash said with a bow as Lenora smiled at him.

"Anytime Ash, anytime. I like your attitude, and your spirit is quite impressive as well. You can come back whenever you like." Lenora said with a smile as Ash nodded and smiled back before he turned to Dark.

"Dark, you're up next. But be careful, watch out for Lillipup's Roar and Watchog's Mean Look." Ash warned placing his hands on Dark's shoulders.

"Right, I'll do my best." Dark said seriously with a nod, but then Lenora spoke up again.

"Just a minute boys, before we get the battle started, I'd like to ask Dark a couple of questions." Lenora said confusing Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, and their Pokemon.

"What is it Lenora?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"Before we entered the battlefield, I heard you say something about Martial Arts, and I was surprised when you told me where you came from. Tell me, have you been taking Martial Arts lessons?" Lenora asked with her arms crossed.

"Yeah, I have, from my mom." Dark said as Lenora suddenly placed three bricks out in front of him.

"If that's true, then you can break these three bricks with your hands." Lenora said as Dark gave her a silly smile.

"Even better, I can break them with one finger. See?" Dark said before he used only one finger to break all three bricks as Ash, Iris, Cilan, Hawes, Pikachu, Tepig, and Axew's eyes were wide when they saw Dark break the bricks so easily with just a finger.

"Amazing, I've never seen anyone do it like that before." Ash said in shock.

"(Those lessons must have really paid off.)" Pikachu agreed just as shocked.

"(Yep, that's my buddy for you.)" Panpour said with a smile and his arms crossed.

Lenora laughed in a friendly way, "Now that's pretty impressive little man."

"Thanks, my mom's been a good teacher, she taught me everything she knew." Dark said happily as Lenora began to think.

"Martial Arts, the forest in Nuvema Town? I wonder..." Lenora thought before she turned back to Dark and asked, "Say, was your mom's name Mitsumi by any chance?"

"Yeah, that's her, that's my mom." Dark said happily shocking Iris, Cilan, and Hawes while Ash and Pikachu were confused.

"Ah yes, I've heard that Mitsumi was living in the forest in Nuvema Town for a while. So, you're Mitsumi's boy?" Lenora said ruffling Dark's hair, causing him to laugh a little.

"I see, that explains why Dark's so strong. I can't believe I didn't see that before." Cilan said as Iris fell to her knees.

"Oh man, I should've been nicer to him, I hope he still wants to travel with us." Iris sighed as Ash turned to Iris and Cilan.

"I don't get it, who's Mitsumi? Is she a famous Pokemon Trainer?" Ash asked in confusion as everyone turned to him in surprise.

"I'll tell you Ash, Mitsumi is a Martial Artist that lived here in the Unova Region. She was a kind and selfless woman, she used to travel around the Unova Region and helped those in need with her Martial arts skills. Everyone knew her name with her good deeds, some even called her the Martial Arts queen of Unova. She even told me that she was taught by the finest Martial Arts teacher, a Turtle Hermit by the name of Master Roshi." Lenora explained as Ash and Pikachu now knew who Dark's mom is.

"Wow, I wonder why Professor Oak never told me about her?" Ash asked as Pikachu was curious about that himself.

"He might not have known about her, she's only known throughout the Unova Region." Lenora answered before she turned to Dark and said, "And now, I believe it's time for my battle against Mitsumi's boy." causing Dark to get all excited again.

* * *

Later, the battle between Dark and Lenora was about to begin.

"The battle between Dark, the challenger and Lenora, the Gym Leader is about to begin! The rules are the same as the last battle! Now, you may begin!" Hawes declared.

"Lillipup, you're up first!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup got in the battlefield.

"Then I'll go with Panpour!" Dark yelled as Panpour ran to the battlefield.

"Let's see if Dark can do better than me." Ash thought as Pikachu looked at Ash in concern.

"Panpour, use Scald!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired hot water at Lillipup.

"Dodge it and use Shadow Ball!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup dodged Scald and fired a Shadow Ball at Panpour.

"Counter it with Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired his Water Gun as it collided with Shadow Ball, but the Shadow Ball began to push the Water Gun back before it hit Panpour in the face.

"Oh no!" Ash, Iris, and Cilan yelled, but when the smoke cleared, they were both relieved and surprised to see that Panpour looked like nothing happened to him.

"Well, that Panpour sure knows how to take a hit. Let's see him handle this, Lillipup, use Take Down!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup glowed yellow and charged towards Panpour.

"I don't get it, why isn't Lenora using her Roar and Mean Look combo she used on me?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Because she's probably saving it for later. She wants to see how Panpour can handle Lillipup first before she uses her Roar and Mean Look combo." Cilan observed as Dark thought about something as he looked at the ground, and then an idea came to him.

"Panpour, aim at the ground and use Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Panpour nodded and fired his Water Gun on the ground as Lillipup ran on the wet ground and then slipped off his feet, taking the others by surprise.

"Nice, now use Scald!" Dark yelled as Panpour hit Lillipup with his Scald attack, sending him back a little.

"Lillipup, are you all right?" Lenora asked in concern as Lillipup got up and shook off the water.

"That's the spirit, now use Shadow Ball multiple times!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup fired multiple Shadow Balls at Panpour who kept his guard up as he kept getting hit by some of the Shadow Ball attacks.

"Oh man, this isn't good, there's gotta be something me and Panpour can do." Dark thought before he saw that Panpour's tail was starting to glow.

"Lillipup, Shadow Ball one more time!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup fired one more Shadow Ball at Panpour.

"Dark, hurry up, think fast!" Iris yelled as Panpour saw the Shadow Ball come at him.

"(I don't think so!)" Panpour yelled as everyone saw that his tail now looked like metal, taking them all off guard.

"That move, is that...?" Dark asked himself.

"That must be Iron Tail!" Ash exclaimed shocking everyone but him, Pikachu, and Dark even more.

"But that's impossible, Panpour can't use that move!" Cilan yelled in disbelief as Panpour used his Iron Tail to hit the Shadow Ball and sliced it in half.

"That's great Panpour, you've learned a new move!" Dark exclaimed happily.

"Apparently, that's no ordinary Panpour." Iris said as Axew nodded in agreement.

"Incredible, but I'm not losing this. Alright Lillipup, use Take Down!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup glowed yellow and charged towards Panpour.

"Panpour, jump into the air and dodge it!" Dark yelled as Panpour jumped high to avoid the attack.

"Now I've gotcha, jump after him Lillipup!" Lenora yelled as Lillipup jumped after Panpour with Take Down still going on.

"No, I've got you!" Dark said with a silly smile.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Lenora asked in confusion.

"Panpour, use Scald at close range!" Dark yelled as Lillipup got close just as Panpour fired his Scald attack on Lillipup, sending the Puppy Pokemon crashing into the ground as Lillipup grunted as he tried to get up.

"Oh no, Lillipup!" Lenora cried.

"Now, let's wrap this up! Panpour, use Iron Tail!" Dark yelled as Panpour got his Iron Tail ready as he spun around in the air, then he slammed his Iron Tail on Lillipup hard and knocking the Puppy Pokemon out.

"Lillipup is unable to battle, Panpour wins!" Hawes declared as Dark and Panpour ran to hug each other.

"Way to go Panpour, I'm so proud of you." Dark said happily.

"(Yeah, I didn't even think I would win.)" Panpour said as Ash, Iris, and Cilan sighed in relief.

"Now that was a battle." Ash said as Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Now Lenora's down to just Watchog." Iris pointed out.

"Yeah, but Watchog shouldn't be taken lightly, Dark should be really careful." Cilan said seriously as Lenora returned Lillipup to his Pokeball.

"You did good Lillipup, take a nice long rest." Lenora said before she pulled out Watchog's Pokeball.

"Before you switch out Pokemon, I'll switch out myself. You don't mind, do you Panpour?" Dark asked the Spray Pokemon.

"(By all means, I've learned a new move, so I'm good.)" Panpour said standing next to Dark who nodded and got another Pokeball out.

"Then I'll go with this Pokemon next! Tepig, let's go!" Dark yelled as he brought Tepig out to battle as he blew flames out his snout and they were more intense than the flames Ash's Tepig blew out as Lenora brought Watchog out as he crossed his arms.

"Alright, Watchog, Mean Look!" Lenora yelled as Watchog's eyes glowed and fired a purple beam at Tepig.

"I guess we can't switch now, but I'm just fine with that. Tepig, Flamethrower!" Dark yelled as Tepig fired his Flamethrower attack at Watchog.

"Counter it with Thunderbolt!" Lenora yelled as Watchog fired his Thunderbolt and the two attacks collided with each other causing a big explosion and covering the middle of the battlefield in a big cloud of smoke.

"Now use Low Kick!" Lenora yelled as Watchog moved fast in the smoke cloud and got Tepig with Low Kick, sending him into the air.

"Tepig!" Dark cried in concern.

"Now use Thunderbolt while he's in the air!" Lenora yelled as Watchog shocked Tepig with Thunderbolt before Tepig crashed into the ground.

"Don't give up yet Tepig, use Sunny Day!" Dark yelled as the tip of Tepig's tail glowed and the room suddenly got brighter, and then Dark yelled, "Now follow that up with Flame Charge!" as Tepig stomped on the ground before he became engulfed in flames as he charged towards Watchog.

"Dodge it quick!" Lenora yelled as Watchog dodged Tepig's Flame Charge attack.

"Keep it up Tepig, keep going until you land a hit!" Dark yelled as Tepig kept Flame Charge going as he charged towards Watchog again.

"Oh yeah? Watchog, Thunderbolt!" Lenora yelled as Watchog fired his Thunderbolt towards Tepig.

"Oh man, this is gonna be bad if Tepig doesn't dodge that attack!" Iris yelled in concern.

"This could be a perfect recipe for disaster!" Cilan yelled just as worried as Iris.

"Quick Dark, think of something!" Ash yelled to his friend.

"Tepig, use Flamethrower to protect yourself!" Dark yelled as Tepig fired his Flamethrower to counter against Thunderbolt as the two attacks cancelled out, but Tepig kept going as he got Watchog good with Flame Charge, leaving him with a burn on his stomach.

"Quick, grab Tepig before he can get away!" Lenora yelled as Watchog grabbed Tepig who struggled to break free as Lenora smirked and yelled, "Now use Thunderbolt!" as Watchog unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt on Tepig who was feeling a lot of pain because he was too close to Watchog.

"Oh no!" Dark yelled in concern as the Thunderbolt stopped.

"Now, use Low Kick!" Lenora yelled as Watchog dropped Tepig and kicked him hard, sending him sliding back over to Dark.

"Tepig, are you all right?" Dark asked as Tepig struggled to get back up.

"That last attack really hurt Tepig a lot." Iris said with a worried expression on her face.

"If Dark doesn't find a way out of this, he'll only have Panpour to fight." Ash said getting just as worried.

"Come on Tepig, get up! You can do it Tepig, I believe in you! Just remember what we've been through together! Remember what you and Oshawott did back in the Striaton City Gym, remember and use it to win this battle!" Dark encouraged as Tepig looked at Dark, then at Ash, Iris, and Cilan, and finally glared at Watchog as he stood proud on his feet.

"(You're right Dark, I can do it!)" Tepig yelled with determination, then without warning, he started to glow, taking everyone by surprise.

"Hey, what's going on with Tepig?" Dark asked in confusion.

"What's with that glow?" Iris asked as they saw that Tepig started to change shape as he stood on two feet and got a little bigger.

"Tepig's starting to evolve!" Cilan exclaimed in realization as the glow went away and everyone saw that Tepig evolved into Pignite as he yelled and blew powerful flames out of his snout.

"Alright, Tepig evolved into Pignite! I was wondering what evolution looks like." Dark said happy to see that his Pokemon evolved.

"A little evolution won't make any difference, the results will be the same, now Watchog, use Thunderbolt!" Lenora yelled as Watchog fired his Thunderbolt at Pignite.

"Pignite, counter it with Flamethrower!" Dark yelled as Pignite fired his Flamethrower as it easily overpowered Watchog's Thunderbolt as it hit Watchog.

"(Wow, Pignite's moves must have powered up after he evolved.)" Panpour said in awe, then Pignite suddenly charged towards Watchog and then thrusts his arms at Watchog multiple times, causing even more damage to the Lookout Pokemon.

"Wow, what move is that?" Dark asked in confusion but he was also happy.

"Dark, Pignite just learned Arm Thrust! It's a move that cause multiple damage to the opponent!" Cilan explained as Dark's smile got a little bigger.

"Cool. Pignite, keep using Arm Thrust!" Dark yelled as Pignite kept using Arm Thrust on Watchog until he was knocked out.

"Watchog is unable to battle, Pignite wins! That means the winner of the battle is Dark, the challenger!" Hawes declared as Dark and Panpour jumped up and down with joy before they ran over to Pignite as the three of them hugged each other as they happily laughed as Ash, Iris, and Cilan walked over to them as did Lenora.

"Nice moves little man, your Pokemon took me by surprise when Panpour learned Iron Tail and when Tepig evolved into Pignite and used Arm Thrust on Watchog. You really are Mitsumi's boy alright." Lenora said with a friendly laugh.

"Thank you very much for having a battle with me." Dark said bowing as did Panpour and Pignite.

"As the winner of the battle, you get this." Lenora said as Hawes came over holding a tray with a Badge that has two purple squares and one purple rectangle in the middle as Lenora picked it up, held it in front of Dark and said, "This is proof that you've defeated the Nacrene City Gym, the Basic Badge."

Dark accepted the badge and said, "Thank you very much Lenora." then he got all happy and yelled, "Alright, I've won the Basic Badge!" as Panpour and Pignite cheered with Dark as Ash, Iris, and Cilan smiled at their friend.

"Oh, sorry Ash, I just got a little excited." Dark apologized remembering that Ash lost his Gym battle while Hawes and Lenora whispered to each other.

"Hey, no need to worry Dark, I'll try again next time. Now let's get our Pokemon all healed up." Ash said patting Dark on the head, then they got ready to leave, but then they were stopped.

"Just a minute Dark." Lenora said as they turned around to face her as she got a Pokeball out as she continued with, "Hawes told me that you'd wanted to meet a Pokemon named Kabuto, is that right?" Dark nodded his head saying yes as Lenora said, "Well you're in luck, I happen to have one with me, have a look." then the Pokeball popped open to reveal a Pokemon that looks like a brown shell with red eyes and six little yellow legs as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan looked at it in awe as did Pikachu, Panpour, Axew, and Pignite.

"How did you get that? I thought they were extinct along with any other prehistoric Pokemon." Cilan said in confusion.

"I had a spare Dome Fossil on me and I asked Professor Juniper and Dr. Fennel to revive it for me, and I was proud with the results." Lenora explained.

"Wow, Kabuto looks like a nice Pokemon, I like him." Dark said as Kabuto happily went over to Dark as he patted the Shellfish Pokemon.

"Well I'm glad you like him Dark, and it looks like Kabuto's taking a liking to you as well, which is why I want you to have Kabuto." Lenora said taking the four trainers by surprise.

"Lenora, are you sure?" Dark asked a little unsure.

"Dark, I insist, I think Kabuto will make a fine addition to your team. So, what do you say?" Lenora asked while holding Kabuto's Pokeball out to Dark.

Dark accepted the Pokeball and said, "I promise, I'll take good care of Kabuto."

"That's what I like to hear." Lenora said ruffling Dark's hair before she turned to Ash and said, "And I'll be waiting for a rematch from you, come back anytime."

"Thank you." Ash said with a nod before the four trainers left to get their Pokemon healed.

* * *

The sun was starting to set as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were waiting for Tepig, Oshawott, Panpour, and Pignite to get all healed up as Ash laid his head on his egg case as he sighed.

"You okay Ash?" Dark asked in concern.

"You never get this depressed about anything." Iris added.

Ash groaned, "How can I not be depressed? My battle against Lenora went totally wrong."

"Starting with Roar and then having to deal with Mean Look certainly is a distasteful combination." Cilan pointed out.

"Yeah, and then everything after that didn't go my way at all. The entire battle was a mess." Ash said dejectedly as Dark patted him on the back.

"Don't worry about it Ash, you'll find a way to get through that when you go up against Lenora again. Just remember to use that disadvantage to your advantage." Dark assured as Ash smiled with determination.

"You're right, I've never given up on anything before in my life, and I'm not about to give up now! Next time, I'll win hands down!" Ash said with determination as Dark, Iris, Cilan, Pikachu, and Axew smiled at their friend, but then the sound of a trolley filled their ears as they turned to see Nurse Joy and Audino coming up to them with Panpour, Oshawott, and Tepig on the trolley that Audino was pushing while Pignite walked next to Audino before he went over to stand next to Dark.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, but your Pokemon are fine now." Nurse Joy said happily as Panpour jumped off the trolley and landed on Dark's shoulder.

"Thanks Nurse Joy." Ash and Dark said with a bow, but then they saw Tepig blow flames out his snout and Oshawott hitting his scalchop multiple times both with determined looks on their faces.

"Wow, Tepig and Oshawott really look pumped up." Dark said as Ash nodded his head.

"Alright you two, how about we get some serious training done?" Ash asked as both Oshawott and Tepig nodded their heads with determination.

"If that's the case, then why don't you visit the Pokemon Battle Club?" Nurse Joy suggested.

"The Battle Club?" Ash and Dark asked in confusion.

"Of course, when you need a little battle advice, visit the best! Don George is always there to help trainers!" Iris said agreeing with Nurse Joy.

"(If he can help us, then I'm on board with the idea!)" Oshawott said pumping his fist in the air.

"(So am I, let's go for it!)" Tepig agreed blowing some more flames.

"And I'm pretty sure that Don George would be able to pass along some information to help with that win." Nurse Joy added.

"Then this is gonna be time to do some serious training!" Ash said with enthusiasm while the others laughed.

* * *

The next day, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan went to the Battle Club and they asked to see Don George, who came and greeted them without question.

"If it's battle related, then I'm your man!" Don George told Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan.

"Wow, they really do look alike, just like Nurse Joy." Dark said to Panpour who nodded in agreement.

"Well son, what can I help you with?" Don George asked Ash who explained what happened to him during his Nacrene Gym Battle.

"So, you want to improve the speed and power of your Pokemon as well as try to avoid having to deal with Lenora's Roar and Mean Look combo." Don George said crossing his arms as Ash nodded saying yes.

"I guess that strategy of Lenora's is well known throughout Nacrene City." Dark whispered to Ash, Iris, and Cilan who nodded their heads.

"That's true. Although Lenora moves at her own pace, if someone like Dark could match that, then she could certainly be defeated." Cilan said as Dark tilted his head in confusion when Cilan mentioned him.

"Indeed, the Battle Club has the solution to all your problems. So, get ready for some hard training young man!" Don George exclaimed.

"You've got it sir." Ash replied as Don George lead them down one of the corridors of the Battle Club.

"I must warn you Ash, my training is not for the faint-hearted. Beyond this door is the path to that training. I must ask you... are you ready?" Don George warned/asked.

"Yes." Ash said with a nod and no hesitation before Don George pushed a button on the wall as the door started to open.

* * *

Now Dark has one more Badge to his collection, and he also has a new partner and friend in Kabuto, and it was all thanks to Panpour and his newly evolved Pignite. Even though Ash lost his battle, he plans to make up for that by training hard in the Battle Club for a rematch for his own Basic Badge. What awaits him during that training? Will Dark join in on the training himself? Find out what happens as Ash takes on Lenora again next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	16. Nacrene Gym Rematch

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, Ash battled against the Gym Leader, Lenora, first with Tepig and Oshawott. Despite his belief in his Pokemon, Lenora's Roar and Mean Look combo really caught him off guard, and in the end, he lost the battle. Dark was next to battle against Lenora with Panpour and his own Tepig by his side. Panpour fought hard against Lillipup and he won against the Puppy Pokemon after he learned Iron Tail. Next, it was Tepig against Watchog, it seemed like Watchog would win, but the tables have turned in Dark's favor when his Tepig suddenly evolved into Pignite and easily defeated Watchog with his new move, Arm Thrust. Dark not only won the Basic Badge, but he also received a new Pokemon from Lenora, the prehistoric Pokemon named Kabuto. Now Ash is ready to train hard at the Battle Club for a rematch against Lenora, but what will be the results from the training yet to come? Find out now!

Nacrene Gym Rematch

Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan were now standing in front of a room in the Battle Club that's filled with training equipment as Axew looked around from Iris' hair as Pikachu and Panpour did the same from their trainer's shoulders.

"What do you think? This is the Battle Club's personal training room and it serves the best purpose if you want to train your Pokemon up to the largest extent." Don George said as Dark and Ash smiled as they looked around.

"This is so awesome, check it out!" Ash yelled happily before he ran to a punching bag and punched it, moving it just a tiny bit.

"Cool, let me try that." Dark said excitedly running over to the punching bag as he punched it and sent it flying out of its place causing the others, especially Don George, and except for Panpour, to stare at the kid with a tail with wide eyes.

"Wow, that's a strong little guy, isn't he?" Don George asked with his eyes still wide, but then he cleared his throat, turned to Ash, and said, "But for your purpose of training Ash, I'd say we use the treadmill over there for Tepig. Using it will help increase Tepig's speed and attack power." then Ash nodded and brought Tepig out who appeared on the treadmill with determination, but then Don George pushed Ash towards the treadmill before he said, "You didn't think that Tepig and Oshawott are the only ones that are going to train, did you? All Pokemon and Pokemon Trainers need to grow together."

Ash then nodded and got on the treadmill with Tepig as he said, "Alright, then let's get this show on the road!"

"What does that mean?" Dark asked in confusion as Panpour shrugged as Don George walked over to a machine and began typing on the keyboard on it, and then the treadmill began to move as Ash and Tepig ran on it.

"Alright, I'm raising the speed." Don George said as he got the treadmill to move faster as Ash and Tepig picked up the pace.

"Wow, that looks like a lot of fun." Dark said with his tail wagging behind him.

"(Yeah, I want to try it myself.)" Axew said as he began to walk towards the treadmill.

"(Axew, wait!)" Pikachu and Panpour called to the Tusk Pokemon before Iris stopped him by picking him up.

"Silly Axew, that treadmill is not a toy, you need to be careful." Iris told the Tusk Pokemon before Don George spoke up again.

"Alright, it's time to move on to the next step." Don George said as he pushed some more buttons and two machines appeared in front of the treadmill as Don George continued, "Alright, the real training begins now. I want you to dodge and counter what you'll imagine are Lillipup's Shadow Balls. They are most likely what could determine the outcome of the match." then some black balls fired at Ash and Tepig.

"Dodge and use Ember!" Ash yelled as Tepig dodged the ball and used Ember on another one, but it didn't have much effect.

"Keep it up Tepig, you're doing great!" Ash encouraged but then a ball hit him in the face, causing him to fall off the treadmill.

"Ash, are you okay?" Cilan asked as he, Iris, and Dark ran over to Ash.

"Yeah, they just caught me off guard. Can we try that again?" Ash asked Don George.

"That's the spirit!" Don George said and soon Ash and Tepig were running on the treadmill once again as Don George said, "Remember, Lillipup's Shadow Balls aren't going to be easy to deal with." then the machine fired balls at Ash and Tepig as they dodged all the balls that came their way.

"Wow, they're getting the hang of it!" Iris commented as Axew and Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, keep it up Ash!" Dark cheered.

"I'm raising the speed. Stay on your toes! Now, prepare for Shadow Ball attacks from behind!" Don George said as two more machines rose from the floor and began to fire.

"Counter them with Ember!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired his Ember attack, but it didn't do much like the last time and Ash and Tepig were knocked out by the balls as Dark, Iris, and Cilan ran over to them as Don George walked over to them.

"If you both continue to train like that, your speed and power will increase, but you can only attain that higher state if you work together as a team." Don George said as he helped Ash up.

Soon, Ash and Tepig continued with the treadmill training, and they got better and better, even though they get hit by a few of the balls that came their way, and now both Ash and Tepig were panting from exhaustion.

"Cool, they seem to be a lot faster than they were when they got started." Dark happily said.

"Still, one can never have enough depth and sharpness, you'll need both to beat Lenora." Cilan told Ash who nodded in understanding as Don George walked up to them.

"That's enough for now. It's a good time to give Tepig a good rest, it's also a good time to start training with Oshawott." Don George said.

"Right." Ash said with a nod.

* * *

Ash, Pikachu, Dark, and Panpour followed Don George to a room filled with purple floor tiles with a pool in the middle of the room after Ash changed into a pair of blue swim shorts while Dark changed back into his white shorts.

"This is where you'll be training with Oshawott." Don George told Ash who nodded and got Oshawott's Pokeball out.

"Excuse me Don George, do you mind if I train here with Kabuto? I want to see what he can do." Dark asked while holding Kabuto's Pokeball.

"Well, I'll leave that up to Ash." Don George said as Dark looked at Ash.

"I have no problem with that, at least you'll have some time to train with Kabuto." Ash said.

"Alright, Kabuto, time to train!/ Kay, Oshawott, you're up!" Dark and Ash yelled as they brought Kabuto and Oshawott out as the two of them saw the water as they jumped with joy before they happily jumped into the water.

"Kabuto, Oshawott, what are you two doing?" Dark asked in confusion as he, Ash, Panpour, Pikachu, and Don George saw that Kabuto and Oshawott were happily swimming in the water.

"Will you guys stop? We didn't come here to play." Ash said a little annoyed.

"That's right, you all came here for some hard training." Don George added as Dark and Ash jumped into the water while splashing Pikachu and Panpour a little.

"So Don George, how does this part of the training work?" Dark asked as Don George walked over to a machine that was like the last one he controlled the treadmill with.

"For this training, I'm gonna create a current in the pool. Swimming against the current will allow you to strengthen your muscles and also build up your stamina at the same time." Don George explained.

"We've got it." Ash said with a nod.

"(Yeah, we've got it.)" Oshawott said nodding as well.

"(I'm ready!)" Kabuto said with excitement.

"Uh... what's a current?" Dark asked in confusion as Pikachu and Panpour fell over while Ash and Oshawott's faces fell.

* * *

Meanwhile, Iris was walking over to Tepig and Sandile while holding two drinks as Cilan was right behind her with a bowl of Pokemon Food.

"Thanks for waiting you two." Iris said to the two Pokemon.

"Here you go, a nice reward for all that hard training Tepig." Cilan said placing the bowl down in front of Tepig.

"(Thanks, it looks so good!)" Tepig said happily.

"(Hey, wait a minute, what about me!?)" Sandile protested.

"Sorry, I couldn't forget about you Sandile. Here you go." Cilan said placing another bowl of Pokemon Food in front of Sandile before he continued with, "And there's more where that came from you two."

"(Thanks.)" Tepig and Sandile said before they munched down on the Pokemon Food as Iris noticed that something wasn't right.

"Where's Axew? He was here a minute ago." Iris said while looking around for Axew.

* * *

"Keep it up, Oshawott!" Ash encouraged as he and Dark were swimming side-by-side with Oshawott and Kabuto as Don George, Pikachu, and Panpour were walking next to the pool.

"You're doing great Kabuto!" Dark said as Kabuto kept swimming happily.

"Oshawott, swim with everything you've got or you might not be able to keep up with Lenora!" Don George said as Panpour stopped walking when he saw Axew walking up to the controls as Panpour panicked and ran over to the controls.

"(What's this?)" Axew asked before he smiled and said, "(Looks like fun! Hey, what do these do?)" Axew then pushed some of the buttons causing the current in the pool to get stronger.

"What in the world?" Don George asked as Ash, Dark, Oshawott, and Kabuto were swept away by a tidal wave while Axew was laughing and having fun with the controls.

"(Axew, what are you doing!? Get down from there!)" Panpour yelled as Axew turned to him.

"(Hey, this is fun, you should give it a try.)" Axew said happily but Panpour came and picked Axew up and walked away from the controls.

"(Axew, you've gotta be more careful. Remember, it's like Iris told you, that's not a toy. From now on, you're staying with me.)" Panpour said walking over to Pikachu and Don George.

"There you are Axew!" Iris yelled as she came in with Cilan, Tepig, and Sandile.

"Gotcha!" Ash said holding Oshawott under his arm while Dark did the same for Kabuto as Ash continued with, "You're both safe now. Come on, we've got more training to do, let's do it!" causing Oshawott and Kabuto to nod as they kicked their feet under their trainers arms, causing them to move forward.

"Now, GO!" Ash shouted before he pushed Oshawott up a waterfall that was in front of them as he began to swim up the waterfall until he reached the top.

"Now, glide down the waterfall!" Don George yelled to Oshawott as he began to swim down the waterfall while clutching his scalchop closely to his stomach, and then he began to surround himself in water, taking the others by surprise.

"Now, aim for the target!" Don George yelled as Oshawott flew towards the target in a jet of water, but instead of hitting the target, Oshawott dove down and hit the area below the target while Iris, Cilan, Panpour, who was still holding Axew, Pikachu, Tepig, and Sandile ran over to the Sea Otter Pokemon.

"That was so cool! Did Oshawott just use Aqua Jet?" Iris asked with amazement.

"Yeah, although the flavor was a bit unsteady." Cilan said while sweat dropping a little.

"Alright, Oshawott knows Aqua Jet!" Ash yelled with excitement as Oshawott ran over to Ash, Dark, and Kabuto.

"Wow, I can't believe that you've learned a new move!" Dark said with a silly smile.

"Way to go Oshawott!" Ash told the Sea Otter Pokemon who tapped his scalchop feeling proud of himself.

"(Hey, that looks like fun! I want to give a try!)" Kabuto yelled happily as Dark turned to the Shellfish Pokemon.

"You want to give it a try Kabuto?" Dark asked as Kabuto happily nodded his head before Dark began to push Kabuto forward and yelled, "Alright, go for it!" and then Kabuto swam up the waterfall before he got to the top, and then he swam down and then became surrounded in water like Oshawott, then he launched himself over to the target and he hit it right in the middle taking the others by surprise while Dark was just happily laughing as Oshawott fell over.

* * *

"Put everything you've got into it!" Don George yelled as Ash and Tepig were running on the treadmill once again while dodging the balls the machines were firing at them as Don George yelled, "Faster, push it to the limit!"

Tepig then fired an Ember attack at the balls that were coming his way, but this time it was much stronger as it blew the balls away while Cilan commented, "Great! Their training is starting to show solid results! Tepig's much faster now and his Ember attack's starting to show real power!"

"We're gonna beat Lenora for sure this time! What do you say Tepig?" Ash asked as the treadmill started to speed up and Ash and Tepig ran faster and faster, and then Flames surrounded Tepig's body as he ran.

"Wow, Tepig's using Flame Charge! Way to go!" Dark cheered happily along with Panpour, Kabuto, and Sandile.

"Alright!" Ash cheered happily as well.

* * *

The next day, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan returned to the Nacrene Gym as Ash and Lenora were facing each other on the battlefield.

"I see that you're ready to go." Lenora told Ash.

"Yep, we've worked really hard with Don George at the Battle Club in order to achieve this victory, so we're all pumped and ready to go!" Ash said with confidence.

"In that case, let me show you who you'll be facing today!" Lenora said before she brought out her two Pokemon, Watchog and a dog Pokemon that was growling.

"Who's that?" Dark asked in confusion before he pulled his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Herdier, the Loyal Dog Pokemon, and the evolved form of Lillipup. Herdier's hard black fur softens its opponents attacks like armor." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away.

"So Lenora's Lillipup evolved into Herdier?" Iris asked.

"That's right, Lillipup evolved after I had my battle with Mitsumi's boy. I was on my way to get my Pokemon all healed up, and when I brought them out, Lillipup started to evolve until he was now a Herdier. So in a way, I should be thanking you for that battle we had yesterday little man." Lenora explained.

Ash grinned and then said, "Whatever, I'm so psyched, so having Lillipup evolve will only make this even more interesting! Let's go Tepig!" Ash then brought his Tepig out as he blew small flames out his snout.

"Well you're not the only one excited about this battle, Herdier, you're up first!" Lenora yelled returning Watchog as Herdier took his place on the battlefield.

"Alright then, the Nacrene Gym Battle rematch between the challenger, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town and the Gym Leader, Lenora will now get underway! It will be a two-on-two battle and the challenger can go first! Now... BEGIN!" Hawes declared as the battle began.

"Tepig, start off with Ember!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired small flames at Herdier.

"Dodge!" Lenora yelled as Herdier dodged with great speed and then Lenora yelled, "Now use Roar!" as Herdier let out a big roar as Tepig went back inside his Pokeball and Oshawott took his place, like the last time.

"Now it's our turn." Lenora said as she returned Herdier and brought Watchog out.

"Mean Look!" Lenora yelled as Watchog's eyes glowed and a purple beam enveloped Oshawott's body while Ash gritted his teeth.

"Figures you would use that, that's your strategy after all." Ash said remembering the last battle he had with Lenora.

"Well then, I hope that your training paid off, because I want to experience another battle I won't forget Ash! Alright Watchog, Confuse Ray!" Lenora yelled as Watchog fired balls of light at Oshawott as Oshawott shielded his eyes from the bright light that came after the light balls hit him, but after they hit Oshawott was stumbling a little.

"What just happened?" Dark asked Cilan in confusion.

"Confuse Ray is a move that confuses your opponent, making it easier for them to attack." Cilan explained before they turned back to the battle.

"My Roar and Mean Look combo isn't the only thing I have up my sleeve, I have plenty of strategies I can use to throw challengers off guard. And if you're shaken up about this Ash, then your training wasn't worth much." Lenora explained as Ash growled.

"We won't give up! Snap out of it Oshawott!" Ash yelled.

"Not a chance, Watchog, get in close and use Low Kick!" Lenora yelled as Watchog charged towards Oshawott and kicked him off his feet into the air and then he landed on his feet again.

"Oshawott, use Water Gun!" Ash yelled as Oshawott fired his Water Gun, but he was hitting anything but Watchog.

Oshawott also fired his Water Gun at Panpour, causing him to angrily yell, "(Hey, watch where you're aiming that!)"

"Okay then, use Aqua Jet!" Ash yelled as Oshawott surrounded himself with water and launched himself towards Watchog, but then Oshawott turned left and then he started to circle around the room until he crashed into the floor as he got up and wobbled a little.

"Come on Oshawott, snap out of it!" Dark yelled to the Pokemon.

"Watchog, use Thunderbolt!" Lenora yelled as Watchog fired his Thunderbolt at Oshawott.

"Use Aqua Jet again!" Ash yelled as Oshawott used Aqua Jet once again, but he couldn't go anywhere since he got hit with Thunderbolt and was sent slamming into the wall, but then he got up and was no longer confused.

"Alright! You broke free of the confusion!" Ash said with glee before he turned his attention back to Watchog before he yelled, "Now Oshawott, get in close with Tackle!" then Oshawott ran towards Watchog very fast due to his training yesterday.

"Dodge and use Thunderbolt!" Lenora yelled as Watchog dodged and then fired his Thunderbolt at Oshawott.

"Block it with your scalchop!" Ash yelled as Oshawott removed his scalchop and used it to block Thunderbolt.

"Now use Low Kick!" Lenora yelled as Watchog charged towards Oshawott and got his Low Kick ready.

"Counter it with Razor Shell!" Ash yelled as the two attacks collided and the two Pokemon felt the pain from the two attacks.

"It might be a long shot, but I don't have any other choice." Ash thought before he yelled, Oshawott, use Aqua Jet one more time!" and then Oshawott launched himself with Aqua Jet, but like before he was moving around the room, but then he hit the ceiling and crashed right into Watchog, knocking both Pokemon out at the same time.

"Both Oshawott and Watchog are unable to battle, the match is a draw!" Hawes declared as Lenora and Ash returned their Pokemon.

"Not bad Ash, but you'll have to do better than that against Herdier!" Lenora yelled as she brought Herdier back out.

"Tepig, I choose you!" Ash yelled as he brought Tepig back out as he blew flames out his snout again.

"Go for it Ash, win that Basic Badge!" Dark cheered for his friend.

"(You can do it!)" Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew also cheered.

"Start off with Ember!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired small flames at Herdier.

"Protect!" Lenora yelled as Herdier was protected by some strange barrier, catching Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan off guard.

"Now use Shadow Ball!" Lenora yelled as Herdier fired multiple Shadow Balls at Tepig.

"Dodge them just like we did during our training!" Ash yelled as Tepig ran forward and was easily dodging Herdier's Shadow Ball attacks as Ash then yelled, Now use Flame Charge!" as Tepig surrounded himself with flames as he ran into Herdier sending him back a little.

"Not bad, but try this on for size! Herdier, Giga Impact!" Lenora yelled as Herdier ran towards Tepig and then hit him hard, causing him to slide back.

"What's Giga Impact?" Dark asked Cilan in confusion.

"It's a move that can deal serious damage to your opponent, but the Pokemon who used it has to recharge after using it." Cilan explained.

"Which means Herdier can't dodge this, use Ember with everything you've got!" Ash yelled as Tepig fired a powerful Ember at Herdier who had to recharge after using Giga Impact as Ember hit him head on leaving a burn on his forehead.

"Now use Tackle!" Ash yelled as Tepig charged towards Herdier with his speed from his training.

"Use Shadow Ball multiple times!" Lenora yelled as Herdier fired multiple Shadow Balls at Tepig who was dodging them like last time, but some got Tepig after he tackled Herdier and now both of them were panting.

"Herdier, Giga Impact!" Lenora yelled as Herdier charged towards Tepig.

"Tepig, Flame Charge!" Ash yelled as Tepig charged towards Herdier while surrounded in flames as the two Pokemon collided with each other, creating a big cloud of smoke.

"Who do you think is gonna win?" Iris asked Cilan.

"At this point, it's hard to say." Cilan said as they looked at the smoke.

"Easy, Ash and Tepig." Dark said with a smile as Iris and Cilan looked at him and then back to the smoke as it was starting to clear, then they saw that Tepig was still up while panting and Herdier was knocked out.

"Herdier is unable to battle, Tepig wins! Which means the winner is Ash from Pallet Town!" Hawes declared as Ash happily yelled before he ran over to Tepig while Dark, Panpour, and Pikachu ran over to them to join in the celebration as Ash picked Dark up and spun around happily as the two of them laughed while Iris and Cilan walked over to them with smiles on their faces.

Lenora returned Herdier to his Pokeball and then walked over to the four trainers as she told Ash, "I have to say Ash, I haven't been that fired up in ages, I felt the same way when I battled Mitsumi's boy. This is yours now, the Basic Badge, for your efforts." she then handed the Basic Badge to Ash who put Dark down and accepted the badge.

"Thanks Lenora, me and Dark will train just as hard for the other Gyms in Unova!" Ash said but then he held his new badge up high and happily yelled, "Yeah, I got the Basic Badge!" as Pikachu, Oshawott, and Tepig joined in the celebration.

"And now we have the same amount of badges again!" Dark cheered along with Panpour.

* * *

Later, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan returned to the Pokemon Center to get Oshawott and Tepig all healed up.

"There you go, all healed up, and here are your Pokemon eggs. I have to say, the shape that they're in now, they're both as healthy as can be, and they'll both hatch really soon." Nurse Joy told Ash and Dark who gladly took their eggs and Ash's Pokemon back.

"Thank you Nurse Joy." Ash and Dark said at the same time as they both bowed politely before they returned to Iris and Cilan.

"Alright, the eggs will hatch real soon." Ash said happily.

"Yeah, I wonder what kind of Pokemon we'll get?" Dark asked as he and Panpour looked at Dark's Pokemon egg.

"We'll find out soon enough. But first, where's the nearest Gym fro here?" Ash asked as Cilan pulled out his map to find out.

"That would be in... Castelia City." Cilan informed his friends.

"So are you two going there for your next Gym Battles?" Iris asked Ash and Dark.

"Of course, and we'll win our third Gym Badge as well!" Ash said as Dark nodded in agreement.

"Come on, let's go!" Dark yelled happily, but then his stomach growled loudly as he sat on the ground and asked, "But can we eat first?"

"Sure thing, we can always leave for Castelia City tomorrow. But now, IIIIIIITTTTTTT'S DINNER TIME!" Cilan declared twirling around a bit as Iris looked at the Pokemon Connoisseur with a dull expression on her face while Ash and Dark looked at each other in confusion with Pikachu, Panpour, and Axew looking at each other before they shrugged their shoulders.

* * *

Later that night, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan decided to spend the night at the Pokemon Center and then leave for Castelia City tomorrow, and everyone was sound asleep... well almost everyone.

Dark was looking up at the ceiling when he found himself unable to sleep, but then he decided to get up from the floor he was laying on as he decided to go out for some fresh air as he opened the glass door to the balcony on the side of the Pokemon Center as he looked up at the night sky to see the many stars.

"I wonder what kind of Pokemon Trainers we'll meet in the Unova League? I hope they're strong, and I can't wait until I battle Ash in the future, there's no telling what could happen until then." Dark thought as he smiled while looking at the sky.

"_Many things await you on your journey young one._" Dark suddenly heard the faint voice from Professor Junipers Lab as he looked around to find out where it came from.

"It's that voice I heard before, but who is it?" Dark thought still looking around.

"_In due time, you'll find out who I am as you continue your journey. Keep your ideals strong with your will, and we shall meet soon enough._" the faint voice in Dark's head said before it went away as Dark looked at the sky again in confusion.

"I don't get it, what does the voice want with me? Am I someone special to it?" Dark thought in confusion, he was about to think further into it, but a voice from behind him snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Dark, what are you doing up?" Dark turned around to see that Cilan was behind him while rubbing his eye a little.

"Sorry Cilan, I just couldn't get to sleep, I had a little too much on my mind and I thought that some fresh air might do me some good." Dark said as Cilan walked over to stand next to Dark.

"You want to talk about it?" Cilan asked as Dark sighed.

"I was thinking about what the Unova League will be like once we get there, what kind of Pokemon Trainers me and Ash will face when we get there, what might happen if me and Ash face each other. Other than that, I was thinking about what kind of people and Pokemon we'll meet along the way." Dark told Cilan who smiled at his little tailed friend.

"Well that's to be expected, all Pokemon Trainers wonder what the Unova League's gonna be like and who they'll battle along the way, and along the way, some trainers even figure out what they want to do with their life in the future." Cilan said looking at the stars again as did Dark.

"Is that why you're traveling with me, Ash, and Iris? So you can use what you've learned on this journey to become the worlds best Pokemon Connoisseur?" Dark asked as Cilan nodded his head.

"You and Ash have really demonstrated skills that me and my brothers have never seen in any Pokemon Trainer. I've always wanted to see all of Unova even before I've met you, Ash, and Iris so that I can be the best Pokemon Connoisseur the world has ever known." Cilan said honestly.

"Well, I might not be an expert on Pokemon Connoisseurs Cilan, but I'd say you can become the greatest Pokemon Connoisseur of all time." Dark said as Cilan smiled at his little friend again as Dark smiled back.

Then Cilan decided to change the subject and asked, "What about you, what do you want to do in the future?"

"Well, I'm not real sure at the moment, but I'll figure it out soon. And can I tell you a little something?" Dark asked as Cilan turned to him.

"Sure Dark, what is it?" Cilan asked.

"Remember when I told you that I heard a faint voice in my head when I was in Professor Juniper's Lab?" Dark asked as Cilan nodded and said yes before Dark continued with, "Well, before you came out here, I heard that same voice again." this surprised Cilan a little.

"Well, what did it tell you?" Cilan asked not completely believing it.

"It told me that many things await me on my journey. When I thought about who that voice was, it just told me that I'll meet it soon when I keep my ideals strong with my will." Dark said.

"And did anyone else heard the voice?" Cilan asked.

Dark shook his head and said, "No, it was just me, and I don't know why nobody can hear this voice but me."

"My guess is that it's your imagination playing tricks on you. You must be tired after what has happened during the Gym Battles here, let's go get some sleep while it's still dark." Cilan said as Dark suddenly yawned.

"I guess you're right abut the tired part Cilan." Dark said before he and Cilan entered the room again to their sleeping areas.

"Goodnight Dark." Cilan whispered to Dark.

"Goodnight Cilan." Dark whispered back before they both went back to sleep.

* * *

Now that Ash and Dark have their second Unova Region Gym Badge, they're ready to head out for their next Gym Challenge in Castelia City. What will their eggs hatch into along the way? What did that voice in Dark's head mean and why can only Dark hear it? Find out what happens to Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan as their journey continues next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	17. Scraggy & Murkrow, Hatched to be Wild

Last time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, after training Tepig and Oshawott at the Nacrene Battle Club, Ash challenged Lenora to a rematch for the Basic Badge. Both Oshawott and Tepig gave it their all against Watchog and Herdier who evolved from Lillipup after Dark's Gym Battle. Despite the power of Lenora's Pokemon, and Oshawott's lack of control for Aqua Jet, Ash won against Lenora and has won his Basic Badge. Now Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan are on their way to Castelia City for Ash and Dark's third Unova Gym Battle, but they might have to make room for two more members to be added to the group first.

Scraggy & Murkrow, Hatched to be Wild

The sun is shining bright on a new day and everything seemed peaceful, but then Sandile jumped into the air and he got his jaws ready to bite something.

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled as Pikachu jumped out of the way, causing Sandile to land on the ground.

Yes, Ash and Dark were having a little friendly battle between Pikachu and Sandile, mainly because Sandile really wanted to battle Pikachu while Panpour, Iris, and Cilan were watching the battle and Axew was keeping his eyes on the eggs.

"Now Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pikachu charged towards Sandile with great speed.

"Sandile, dodge it by using Dig!" Dark yelled as Sandile dug underground to dodge Pikachu's Quick Attack as Pikachu looked around before he was lifted into the air when Sandile rose from the ground.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled as Pikachu landed on his feet as did Sandile.

"(Not bad, I didn't see that coming.)" Pikachu told Sandile.

"(Thanks, you're not so bad yourself, I'm glad I decided to follow you and the Water Monkey.)" Sandile smirked.

"Sandile, use Stone Edge!" Dark yelled as Sandile fired sharp stones at Pikachu.

"Deflect them with Iron Tail!" Ash yelled as Pikachu began to hit the stones back at Sandile with Iron Tail as one of the stones knocked Sandile's sunglasses off his face as Sandile panicked.

"(Wait a second, time out!)" Sandile yelled frantically confusing everyone else.

"What's wrong Sandile?" Dark asked as Sandile tried to find his sunglasses.

"Sandile sure is acting differently without his sunglasses." Iris observed.

"My guess is that he has more confidence in his fighting skills with his sunglasses on his face, an interesting recipe indeed." Cilan said as Panpour saw that Sandile's sunglasses were in front of him as he picked them up and walked over to Sandile.

"(Sandile, I believe these belong to you.)" Panpour said showing Sandile the sunglasses.

"(Oh, thank you very much.)" Sandile said happily before he put the sunglasses back on, then he said, "(Yeah, that's more like it. Now we can continue with the battle.)" he then walked back over to Pikachu looking tough again as Axew was keeping a close eye on the eggs, but then they started to shake.

"(What was that?)" Axew asked curiously before the eggs started to glow causing Axew to panic as he ran over to the others.

"Axew, what is it?" Iris asked the panicking Pokemon.

"(It's the eggs, they're both giving off a strange glow!)" Axew yelled while pointing at the eggs.

"The eggs?" Dark asked in confusion as they looked to see the eggs glowing in and out and shaking a bit.

"That could only mean one thing, they're getting close to hatching!" Cilan said happily as the others got excited as well and went over to the eggs.

"(Now we can finally see what kind of Pokemon were in those eggs.)" Panpour said with excitement.

"Isn't this exciting Axew? You're going to be a big brother." Iris said to the excited Tusk Pokemon.

"(Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, I can't wait to see what they'll look like!)" Axew said happily as the two eggs finally hatched in a bright light.

When the light died down, everyone saw that Ash's egg hatched into a Pokemon that pulled his skin up like a pair of pants but they fell down again while Dark's egg hatched into a black bird Pokemon with the top looking like some sort of hat, that took Iris and Cilan by surprise.

"It's Scraggy and Murkrow!" Iris exclaimed as Ash and Dark pulled their Pokedexs out to find out more.

"Scraggy, the Shedding Pokemon. The lower half of Scraggy's body is covered by a tough rubbery skin and when someone makes eye contact it responds with Headbutt." Ash's Pokedex explained.

"Murkrow, the Darkness Pokemon. If spotted, it will lure an unwary person into chasing it, then lose the pursuer on mountain trails." Dark's Pokedex explained as Ash and Dark looked at their new Pokemon again.

"That's kinda odd, Murkrow are normally found in Johto." Ash said as Scraggy looked at Ash while Murkrow looked at Dark.

"Hi there you two, I'm Dark and this is Ash." Dark happily introduced as Murkrow and Scraggy turned to Pikachu, Panpour, and Sandile.

"(Hi there.)" Pikachu and Panpour greeted happily, but then Scraggy narrowed his eyes at Pikachu for some reason.

"What's Scraggy doing?" Ash asked in confusion.

"It looks like he's using Leer." Cilan said before Scraggy drew his head back before he hit Pikachu with his head, but it didn't seem to hurt Pikachu much as Cilan then said, "That was Headbutt."

"Wow, I wonder what kind of moves Murkrow knows?" Dark asked while looking at Murkrow as Sandile walked over to Murkrow right before he flew up into the air as his beak glowed as he flew down towards Sandile and Panpour as he spun around like a drill before he hit Panpour and then Sandile, but it didn't seem to do much to them either.

"Murkrow just used Drill Peck." Cilan said as Murkrow landed on Dark's shoulder.

"I wonder why Scraggy would use Headbutt like that." Ash wondered as Scraggy turned to use Headbutt on Ash, then at Murkrow, and finally at Dark, but Dark didn't even feel it while Scraggy landed on his back.

"Remember what your Pokedex said Ash, that's how Scraggy greets someone else." Cilan said as Scraggy looked at Axew who backed up a little.

"Hey Dark, why don't we have a battle between Scraggy and Murkrow to see what they can do?" Ash suggested as Murkrow cawed happily.

"Since Murkrow's up for it, then so am I." Dark said with a silly smile.

Soon, Scraggy and Murkrow were facing each other on the battlefield ready for battle.

"Now let's see what other moves Scraggy knows." Ash said pulling his Pokedex out to find out.

"Scraggy's moves are Leer and Headbutt." the Pokedex told him.

"Just those two?" Ash asked a little surprised as Dark pulled his Pokedex out to find out what other moves Murkrow can use.

"Murkrow's moves are Drill Peck and Astonish." the Pokedex explained as both Ash and Dark put theirs away.

"I guess they both only know two moves." Dark said while he and Ash looked at their new Pokemon.

"I'm not surprised, after all Scraggy and Murkrow just hatched, so it might take a while for them to learn any other moves." Iris said.

"Well, let's battle! Scraggy, use Leer!" Ash yelled as Scraggy ran over to Murkrow before he narrowed his eyes at the Darkness Pokemon.

"Murkrow, use Astonish!" Dark yelled as Murkrow shouted at Scraggy causing him to step back a little.

"Don't let that get you down Scraggy, now use Headbutt!" Ash yelled as Scraggy shook his head before he began to use Headbutt on Murkrow.

"Dodge it!" Dark yelled as Murkrow flew up to dodge causing Scraggy to use Headbutt on a boulder that was behind Murkrow as Dark then yelled, "Nice work Murkrow, now use Drill Peck!" Murkrow then flew down towards Scraggy while spinning like a drill as Scraggy saw Murkrow coming so he pulled his yellow skin up as Murkrow hit Scraggy as the two of them were sliding back some before Murkrow stopped using Drill Peck and flew back over to Dark while Scraggy felt some pain from Drill Peck.

"Use Drill Peck once more!" Dark yelled as Murkrow used Drill Peck one more time.

"Dodge it!" Ash yelled as Scraggy tried to get out of the way, but Murkrow was just a little bit faster as he got Scraggy with Drill Peck, sending him crashing into a boulder that was close by, knocking Scraggy out.

"Scraggy is unable to battle, Murkrow wins!" Cilan declared as Ash and Dark ran over to Scraggy with Murkrow flying over there.

"Scraggy, are you okay?" Ash asked in concern as Scraggy slowly got up.

"(Uh, I didn't mean to hit him that hard.)" Murkrow said sounding a bit guilty.

"Don't worry, it looks like Scraggy's gonna be just fine." Dark said as Scraggy shook off the pain and then Dark's stomach growled.

Cilan chuckled, "I think it might be a good time to stop and eat."

* * *

Later that day, the gang was happily eating the food that Cilan prepared, but then Axew and Murkrow turned to see Scraggy sitting on a rock alone, not eating with the others as Dark saw him alone as well.

"I don't get it, why is Scraggy sitting there all by himself?" Dark asked in confusion as Murkrow and Axew decided to go over to Scraggy and be friendly, but Scraggy turned his head away from them.

"We probably just need to give Scraggy some time, I'm sure he'll hang with the other Pokemon soon enough." Cilan said as Ash looked at Scraggy as did Axew and Murkrow.

* * *

Later that night, Murkrow woke up to find Scraggy eating from his bowl of Pokemon Food as he flew over to him.

"(Pretty good, isn't it?)" Murkrow asked with a sly smile, startling Scraggy.

"(Oh you, what do you want?)" Scraggy asked as Murkrow stood next to him.

"(Just a chance to talk.)" Murkrow said with a normal smile on his beak as Scraggy calmed down and the two of them looked up at the many stars in the sky.

"(Listen, about that battle we had earlier today, I'm sorry if I hurt you real bad.)" Murkrow apologized.

"(Don't worry about it, it was a battle, you're suppose to hurt me, but I am expecting a rematch with you someday.)" Scraggy said holding his hand out to Murkrow.

"(It's a deal.)" Murkrow said before he and Scraggy shook hands, or wing in Murkrow's case, then they heard some rustling in the forest.

"(What was that?)" Murkrow asked with curiosity.

"(I don't know.)" Scraggy said before he and Murkrow looked at each other, nodded, and took off towards the rustling.

Soon Axew woke up and saw that Scraggy and Murkrow were nowhere to be seen, so he started to panic as he shook Iris a little.

"Axew, what is it?" Iris asked as she rubbed her eye.

"(It's Scraggy and Murkrow, they're both missing!)" Axew yelled causing Dark and Panpour to wake up as they saw that Scraggy and Murkrow were gone as well.

"Murkrow? Scraggy? Where are they?" Dark asked while looking around as Ash, Pikachu, and Cilan were awake as well as were the other Pokemon.

"They couldn't have gotten far, come on, let's go find them." Ash said as the others nodded in agreement before they ran off to find Scraggy and Murkrow.

* * *

Scraggy and Murkrow were still trying to find out what the rustling from before was before they looked up to see that it was just a couple of Patrat sleeping on a branch.

"(Well, that wasn't what I was expecting. But, as long as we're here, let's do some training, that might make those other guys back there happy.)" Scraggy suggested taking Murkrow by surprise.

"(I don't know, shouldn't we head back? I mean the others back there might be worried about us.)" Murkrow said but Scraggy dragged Murkrow further into the forest as Murkrow sighed and said, "(I should've guessed.)"

Scraggy and Murkrow were now in front of a big tree as Scraggy looked like he was ready for some training.

"(Oh, this will do just fine.)" Scraggy said before he began to use Headbutt on the tree multiple times causing Murkrow to panic when he saw eyes from under one of the roots of the tree.

"(Uh Scraggy, I don't think you should do that.)" Murkrow said sounding a bit scared.

"(Relax, I know what I'm doing.)" Scraggy said still using Headbutt on the tree as more eyes appeared on the tree.

"(No, seriously, I think you should stop.)" Murkrow said sweating a little as all the eyes glared at Scraggy and Murkrow.

"(Oh come on, what could possibly happen?)" Scraggy asked before a bunch of Pokemon that looked like big yellow spiders came out to Scraggy and Murkrow as they all glared at the two Pokemon in front of them.

"(Well, they could possibly happen.)" Murkrow said dully.

"(Oh, so you all want to fight, eh? Well come on, I'm not scared of any of you.)" Scraggy challenged as all the spider Pokemon charged towards Scraggy as Murkrow flew up to the sky as one of the spider Pokemon shot a yellow web at the Darkness Pokemon, trapping him inside and shocking him before he fell to the ground in pain.

Scraggy was trying his best to dodge the attacks that the spider Pokemon were throwing his way, but he still got hit by some of them, until he couldn't stand on his feet, then the spider Pokemon were about to attack again, but then...

"Tepig, Ember!" they were stopped by a sudden burst of small flames as they looked to see Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, and the other Pokemon coming to the rescue.

"Those are Galvantula!" Cilan exclaimed as Dark pulled his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Galvantula, the EleSpider Pokemon. Galvantula attacks its prey by shooting electrically-charged threads and its front mandibles can hold down opponents." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away.

"What do you think you're doing to Scraggy and Murkrow?" Ash asked angrily as the Galvantula turned to the trainers as Dark saw that Murkrow was stuck in the yellow web so he ran over to get him out.

"Dark, don't, it's Electroweb, it could paralyze you and Murkrow!" Cilan yelled in concern as Dark got to Murkrow and tried to free him as he got shocked in the process.

"Don't worry Murkrow, I'll get you out!" Dark grunted as he kept getting shocked before one of the Galvantula went over to Dark and Murkrow.

"Dark, look out!" Iris yelled before Galvantula was lifted into the air by Sandile who use Dig to help Dark before he used Bite on the web, freeing Murkrow who flew up to Dark's shoulder.

"Thanks Sandile." Dark said while patting Sandile on the head as the Galvantula retreated back to the tree, then Ash picked up Scraggy who looked like he was ill.

"Scraggy, are you okay?" Ash asked in concern.

"He must be ill because of the attacks from the Galvantula." Cilan said as they all looked at Scraggy with concern.

* * *

Soon, the others got Scraggy back to the campsite to help cure Scraggy, first they fed both him and Murkrow some Oran Berries to heal them up, then Iris prepared an herbal cure for Scraggy as she held the spoon out to Scraggy who was now in Ash's arms.

"Open up Scraggy, it'll help make you feel better." Iris said softly as Scraggy opened his mouth as Iris put the spoon in his mouth and then said, "It might be a bit bitter, but trust me it'll help." then Scraggy scrunched his face up a little, but swallowed it anyway before his eyes closed, showing the others that he was asleep.

"There, a goodnight sleep and Scraggy will be all better in no time." Iris said with a smile.

"Thanks Iris, it's a good thing you know some things about herbal medicine." Ash said as he gently placed Scraggy down as Murkrow flew next to Scraggy and fell asleep as well.

"I guess those two have had a busy night, let's follow their lead and get some sleep ourselves." Cilan said as the others nodded in agreement, but as they were getting ready for sleep Dark looked at Scraggy and Murkrow, then back at Iris, then he went over to Iris and tapped her on the arm causing Iris to turn to her friend.

"Everything okay?" Iris asked in confusion.

"Hey Iris, you seem like an expert wit herbs, right?" Dark asked suddenly.

"Well, I wouldn't call myself an expert." Iris said.

"Listen, I was wondering, do you think you could teach me some of those herbal treatments?" Dark asked taking Iris by surprise.

"Well, that's unexpected. I'm not good with teaching anyone, but I suppose I could teach you what I know. But, why are you suddenly interested in learning this?" Iris asked in confusion.

"Because I've seen how you've done it before on Pansage when we were trying to help Dwebble out and how well Pansage became the day after that. I want to be there to help all of my friends in more ways than one, and we could get separated with one of our Pokemon being sick, so I want to make sure they're better." Dark explained seriously.

"Well don't worry, like I told you before, I'll teach you what I know, but let's save that for another day. Right now, let's get some sleep while it's still dark." Iris said as Dark smiled and nodded in agreement before he went over to his sleeping bag as did Iris and everyone was now asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Scraggy woke up with a yawn, feeling all better as he looked around to see all the others who were still asleep and then he turned to see Murkrow sleeping next to him, then Scraggy glared at the sky before he got up and walked away, that's when Murkrow woke up and saw Scraggy walking away so he ran after Scraggy.

"(Wait, hold on, where are you going?)" Murkrow asked as Scraggy turned to him.

"(I'm going back to battle those yellow guys again, this ain't over yet.)" Scraggy said with determination.

"(Are you crazy!? You never stood a chance against those guys! Plus, they shoot electricity, birds like me don't mix well with electricity!)" Murkrow yelled quietly to not wake anyone up.

"(I don't care, they caught me off guard that's all. But I'll be ready for them this time.)" Scraggy said before he walked away to find the Galvantula again.

"(No wait, Scraggy!)" Murkrow yelled quietly before he flew after Scraggy, unaware that Sandile was awake the whole time and he heard the entire conversation that Murkrow and Scraggy had.

* * *

Soon, Scraggy and Murkrow returned to the tree where they last saw the Galvantula.

"(I'm telling you, this is a bad idea, let's go back while we still have a chance.)" Murkrow said but Scraggy ignored him.

"(Hey, come on out you yellow guys, we have some unfinished business to deal with!)" Scraggy yelled as the Galvantula came back out to greet Scraggy and Murkrow.

"(Haven't you two learned your lesson the last time?)" one of the Galvantula asked.

"(We have a score to settle.)" Scraggy said while glaring at the Galvantula.

"(No we don't, we really don't mean any harm to you guys.)" Murkrow said while laughing nervously, but then Scraggy got one of the Galvantula with Headbutt causing Murkrow to smack his forehead before he said, "(We're dead.)"

"(Come on, have some more!)" Scraggy yelled as he got some more Galvantula with Headbutt.

"(Oh well, if you can't beat'em, join'em.)" Murkrow sighed before he flew up to a Galvantula and used Astonish on it, causing it to flinch a little, then Murkrow flew up and got some of the Galvantula with Drill Peck.

"(Yeah, no one can beat the unstoppable team of Scraggy and Murkrow!)" Scraggy yelled with confidence before another Galvantula got both Scraggy and Murkrow with a ball of electricity sending them sliding a little.

"(Guess we're not so unstoppable anymore.)" Murkrow sighed as Scraggy glared at him.

"(Come on, I'm just getting started with this battle.)" the Galvantula leader said before he fired another ball of electricity at Scraggy and Murkrow, but then a sudden blur emerged from underground and it took the hit for Scraggy and Murkrow confusing the Pokemon in the area, then when the smoke cleared everyone saw that it was Sandile that saved Murkrow and Scraggy and he was now glaring at the Galvantula.

"(If you're really just getting started, then try fighting me next.)" Sandile said before Scraggy and Murkrow turned to see Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, and the other Pokemon running up to them.

"There they are!" Iris exclaimed while pointing at Scraggy and Murkrow.

"I don't get why they would go after the Galvantula like that again?" Ash asked in confusion.

"I don't think Murkrow wanted to go after the Galvantula Ash, if anything, I think Murkrow wanted to keep Scraggy from going after them." Dark told Ash.

"Looks like they want to finish what they started." Iris observed as the Galvantula leader turned to the other Galvantula.

"(All of you are to stand back, I want to battle this big shot alone.)" the Galvantula leader said while glaring at Sandile who glared back.

"(Yes sir!)" the other Galvantula saluted before they stepped back to let their leader deal with Sandile.

"What's going on?" Ash asked in confusion.

"That Galvantula wants to have a battle with Sandile alone." Dark said since he understood the Pokemon conversation.

"I get it, Sandile ran off to protect Scraggy and Murkrow from the Galvantula, I guess following Sandile was a good idea after all." Cilan said as Dark and Sandile nodded at each other before Dark stepped up.

Then the Galvantula leader fired an Electroweb at Sandile.

"Sandile, use Bite!" Dark yelled as Sandile grabbed the web with his jaws before he ripped it apart, then the Galvantula leader charged towards Sandile with its front mandible glowing purple.

"Look out, that's Poison Jab!" Ash yelled.

"Stop Galvantula with Stone Edge!" Dark yelled as Sandile fired sharp stones at the Galvantula leader, causing it to stop in its tracks.

"Now use Dig!" Dark yelled as Sandile dug underground as the Galvantula leader looked around to try and find him.

"(Where are you you little show-off!?)" the Galvantula leader angrily yelled still looking around for Sandile, but then it was lifted off the ground by Sandile, but while they were in the air, the Galvantula leader slashed Sandile with one of his front mandibles, causing Sandile to crash into the ground.

"What was that?" Dark asked scratching his head with his tail.

"That's Fury Cutter, a Bug-Type move, and it probably did a number on Sandile since he's part Dark-Type." Iris explained sounding worried as the Galvantula leader landed in front of Sandile and got its Poison Jab ready.

"(Game, set, and match.)" the Galvantula leader said before it got ready to jab Sandile.

"Sandile, use Dig, quick!" Dark yelled as Sandile's eyes shot open before he quickly dug underground again just before the Galvantula leader could use Poison Jab, then the Galvantula leader was thrown into the air by Sandile as Dark yelled, "Now, use Stone Edge!" then Sandile fired more sharp stones at the Galvantula leader, who had no way to block it, so Sandile's Stone Edge hit the Galvantula leader multiple times before one last stone hit it so hard that it sent the Galvantula leader flying away into the distance as the other Galvantula got scared and ran away from the area in fear as Sandile landed on his feet next to Dark.

"That's too bad, I really don't like to hurt anyone, but that Galvantula gave us no choice." Dark said as he and the others looked at the spot where they last saw the Galvantula leader.

"I'm just glad that you two are okay." Ash told Scraggy and Murkrow with a smile.

"(Yeah, sorry we made you guys worry.)" Scraggy apologized as Murkrow felt just as bad.

"Don't worry, you two are safe, and that's all that matters." Dark assured as Murkrow happily flew up to Dark's shoulder while Panpour jumped up to Dark's other shoulder.

"Well, let's go back to the campsite, after all... IIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT'S BREAKFAST TIME!" Cilan said spreading his arms out a little.

"Well, there's a headache to start off the day." Iris said silently and dully as Ash and Dark looked at each other in confusion.

* * *

What a day it has been, but now both Ash and Dark have a new member to their teams, and now they can head out to Castelia City with Scraggy and Murkrow by their sides. But they're not out of the woods yet. Join us again as their journey to Castelia City continues next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	18. Lost in Pinwheel Forest

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, the two eggs have finally hatched, Ash's egg hatched into Scraggy and Dark's egg hatched into Murkrow. At first, Scraggy was a bit wild with Headbutt, but after a little incident with a bunch of Galvantula, Scraggy is trying to be a good ally and friend to the others. Now, they continue on their way to Castelia City for Ash and Dark's third Gym Badge.

Lost in Pinwheel Forest

Continuing on their way to Castelia City, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan now look down on a lush green forest ahead of them.

"So, all we have to do is walk through that forest to get to Castelia City?" Ash asked while pointing at the forest ahead of them.

"Yeah, at least that's what Cilan said." Dark said with a nod.

"Wow, it's huge!" Iris commented while Axew looked at it in awe.

"(You're right, it's even bigger than the forest back home.)" Panpour said before he sighed sadly as Pikachu patted him on the back for comfort.

"It's Pinwheel Forest." Cilan told the others.

"Pinwheel Forest? Why is it called that?" Ash asked while Dark tilted his head in confusion.

"Well, as long as we walk straight through, we'll be out and on our way to Castelia City in no time." Cilan started.

"(Well that's good to hear, but there's gotta be a downside to that forest.)" Pikachu said looking at Pinwheel Forest once again.

"However, if we wander off, we could find ourselves in a natural maze." Cilan finished seriously.

"Whoa, we'd better be careful then." Ash said as Pikachu, Iris, and Axew nodded in agreement.

"Hey guys, what's a maze?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail, causing the others to fall over.

"(Well, don't leave us hanging, please tell us.)" Panpour said as the others got up and sighed.

"Well, it's basically a room filled with a bunch of different turns, to challenge your mind." Cilan explained while sweat dropping.

"Dark, didn't your mom teach you anything besides Martial Arts?" Iris asked making Dark and Panpour think back.

"I guess not." Dark shrugged his shoulders.

"(Only Martial Arts and stuff about Pokemon like me.)" Panpour added as Iris sighed with annoyance.

* * *

Later, they were walking along the path in Pinwheel Forest.

"It's so nice being in a lush forest." Iris said looking around.

"Makes me remember all the good times me and Panpour had with our Pokemon friends back home." Dark agreed as he and Panpour looked around with Iris and Axew.

"The air is so fresh and the sunlight is so clear and bright, this forest must be home to some amazing Pokemon." Cilan observed making Ash excited.

"Wow, I hope we come across a whole bunch of them!" Ash said with excitement.

"Yeah, we can make a bunch of new friends here!" Dark said happily, but then a Pokemon that looks like a green bug with a leaf on its head swung towards them and kicked Pikachu from behind, right off Ash's shoulder taking the others by surprise while Pikachu angrily got up.

"(Why you, take this!)" Pikachu growled before he fired a Thunderbolt at the Bug Pokemon, but it used String Shot to avoid the hit, causing Pikachu to shock Ash instead, causing him to fall over as Dark caught him, then the Bug Pokemon shot sharp leaves at Pikachu who dodged them all, but then the Bug Pokemon shot another String Shot at Pikachu's forehead as it collided with Pikachu, causing him to fall over as Panpour caught him.

"Ash, are you all right?" Dark asked helping Ash stand up as Panpour did the same for Pikachu.

"I'll be fine. What about you Pikachu?" Ash asked clutching his head.

"(Yeah, just let me at that sneaky Bug that attacked me!)" Pikachu growled but then he and Panpour saw that the Bug Pokemon was gone as Pikachu asked, "(Hey, where did he go?)" that's when the Bug Pokemon landed on Panpour's head as his teeth glowed before he moved them across Panpour's head, biting him multiple times.

"(Ow, hey, what are you doing!?)" Panpour yelped in pain.

"It's using Bug Bite!" Cilan exclaimed as Panpour ran around to try and get the Bug Pokemon off his head.

"(Hold still, I'll get him! Panpour, stay still!)" Pikachu yelled before he used Iron Tail to try and get the Bug Pokemon off, but he jumped off Panpour's head, causing Pikachu to use Iron Tail on Panpour instead as he yelled and held his head in pain as they both saw the Bug Pokemon land in front of them as Pikachu said, "(I missed him.)"

"(Oh did you really!?)" Panpour yelled angrily as Pikachu laughed nervously.

"Who's that Pokemon?" Dark asked in confusion as Ash pulled his Pokedex out.

"Sewaddle, the Sewing Pokemon. Sewaddle hides from its enemies by covering its head with a hood made from a leaf, and is known to eat its leafy clothing when food is scarce." the Pokedex explained as they looked at Sewaddle again.

"Sewaddle are really popular among clothing designers, that's because they know how to design and make their clothing out of leaves." Cilan commented.

"And they're so cute!" Iris happily added.

"(Ooh, I'll kill that bug!)" Panpour growled while glaring at Sewaddle who was just standing there.

"I like a Pokemon who's strong in a battle, so I'm gonna catch it!" Ash said as he pulled out Tepig's Pokeball, but Sewaddle fired some more strings at Ash, causing him to scream before he fell over.

"You okay Ash?" Dark asked while helping Ash up and he was covered in a ball of Sewaddle's string.

"Yeah, you're good Sewaddle, I like you even more now!" Ash said to Sewaddle.

"But why would it attack us?" Iris asked in confusion while Sewaddle was making taunting gestures.

"Maybe it just likes to battle." Cilan guessed.

"(Good idea. Come here!)" Panpour growled running towards Sewaddle before one of Dark's Pokeballs popped open and Sandile appeared and held Panpour back by placing his foot down on Panpour's tail while Pikachu used Iron Tail to free Ash from the ball of string.

"Thanks Pikachu. Now, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu nodded and fired his Thunderbolt at Sewaddle, knocking it against a nearby tree, but then Sewaddle recovered and used String Shot on a nearby tree branch and then started to swing away.

"It's getting away! Sewaddle, come back here!" Ash yelled before he and Pikachu ran after Sewaddle.

"Ash, wait!" Iris yelled.

"He's going off the path!" Cilan exclaimed.

"Guess we've got no choice." Iris sighed as Cilan nodded his head.

"We'll have to do the same!" Cilan said before he and Iris ran after Ash, none of them noticing that Dark, Panpour, and Sandile were just gazing at the sky.

"(You know, I actually feel a lot better now, in fact I don't even remember why I was even mad in the first place.)" Panpour calmly said before they looked down and saw that their friends were gone.

"(Hey, where did everyone go?)" Sandile asked as they looked around.

"Ash, Iris, Cilan, Pikachu, Axew? Guess they went on ahead to find that Sewaddle." Dark said while shrugging his shoulders.

"(I guess, I mean Ash was determined to catch that guy.)" Panpour shrugged as well.

"Castelia City will have to wait, right now we have to catch up with the others. But which way did they go?" Dark asked while looking around.

"(That way!)" Panpour and Sandile said at the same time while pointing in opposite directions, then they glared at each other before they said, "(What are you talking about? They went that way! No they didn't, they went that way! Stop that!)"

"(Oh, and I suppose you know where you're going, don't you?)" Sandile asked while he and Panpour were still glaring at each other.

"(Obviously better than you do Sandy!)" Panpour replied before Dark picked up Sandile.

"Let's just move on ahead, come on." Dark said before he and Panpour began to jump from branch to branch to find the others.

* * *

"Stop, come back!" Ash yelled still chasing after Sewaddle before he tripped and fell to the ground as Pikachu stood next to him.

"Ash, are you okay?" Iris asked as she and Cilan ran over to the fallen trainer as he got back up.

"Yeah I'm fine, but Sewaddle..." Ash trailed trying to find Sewaddle.

"Looks like Sewaddle got away." Cilan said as they looked around to find out that Sewaddle is nowhere to be seen.

"Now what do we do?" Iris asked as Axew popped out of her hair looking around for someone else.

"Well, I want to keep looking for Sewaddle, but I don't know." Ash said stubbornly.

"This forest is a natural maze like we've never seen! It's too dangerous." Cilan said.

"You're right, we'd better get back on the path." Ash said with his head down as Axew looked worried before he tapped Iris on the shoulder.

"What is it Axew?" Iris asked.

"(Uh, I don't see Dark or Panpour anywhere.)" Axew said worriedly.

"Dark and Panpour aren't here? Silly Axew, they're right there." Iris said pointing next to Cilan where she thought Dark and Panpour would be, but they saw that no one was next to Cilan.

"Oh no, Dark's missing!" Cilan yelled worriedly.

"Oh man, he's never gonna find his way out of this forest!" Iris yelled worriedly as well.

"Come on, he should still be at the spot where we last saw him!" Ash said as they nodded and hurried off to find their little friend.

* * *

Soon, Dark and Panpour were taking a little break from jumping from branch to branch as Dark placed Sandile down.

"I guess when Cilan said that this forest is like a maze thingy. he wasn't kidding, it might take us a while to find them." Dark said as they walked along the path ahead of them.

"(Looking at the clouds was all your stupid idea!)" Sandile growled while glaring at Panpour who glared back.

"(Oh no, it was yours, you were the one who suggested that we look up at the sky in the first place! 'Let's calm down and look at clouds, it's the best way to let your anger go.' You mean it's the best way for us to get lost in this forest!)" Panpour yelled as they kept walking behind Dark.

"(Alright, you don't have to get snippy with me, I was only trying to make you feel better after what that Sewaddle did to you!)" Sandile growled as Panpour dropped his glare as he looked at the ground and sighed.

"(I know, I shouldn't have been mad at you like that, I'm sorry.)" Panpour said a little glum as Sandile patted Panpour on the back, but then the three of them stopped when they saw a Pokemon that looked like a green bud with eyes in front of them.

"Wow, who's that Pokemon?" Dark asked before he took his Pokedex to find out more.

"Petilil, the Bulb Pokemon. The leaves on its head are very bitter. Eating one of these leaves is known to refresh a tired body. Since they prefer moist, nutrient-rich soil, the areas where Petilil live are known to be good for growing plants." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away as they looked at the Petilil in front of them again who suddenly fired a green ball of energy at them as they quickly dodged the attack.

"What's the matter Petilil?" Dark asked before they heard an explosion go off behind them as they turned around to see a few traps that got hit by Petilil's attack.

"(You three should be more careful, there's a bad person out here in Pinwheel Forest.)" Petilil warned as Dark, Panpour, and Sandile turned to her.

"(A bad person, what do you mean?)" Panpour asked in confusion.

"(I mean, there's a human around here, setting up traps to catch all of the Pokemon in this forest, that human is even after the rumored Pokemon that watches over this forest.)" Petilil whispered carefully.

"Why would anyone do such a horrible thing to Pokemon?" Dark asked sounding mad at this human he's never met.

"(But, what did you mean by rumored Pokemon?)" Panpour asked in confusion.

"(It's said that there's a powerful Grass-Type Pokemon that watches over all the other Pokemon here in Pinwheel Forest, but some Pokemon here just shook it off as a rumor, but I believe that a powerful Grass-type Pokemon really is looking after us.)" Petilil said with sparkles in her eyes.

"(So are there more traps like those?)" Sandile asked looking at the destroyed traps behind them.

"(Yes, there are. I tried to do something to stop this human, but he's just too much for me to handle alone. I got away after I used Attract on his Pokemon partner, but my friends weren't so lucky and they were probably captured, I need help saving everyone here in this forest.)" Petilil said sounding very sad, but then Dark picked Petilil up and gave her a smile.

"Don't worry Petilil, we'll help you get your friends back from this thief, no one should be that cruel to Pokemon." Dark said as Panpour and Sandile nodded in agreement while smiling at Petilil as well, causing her to smile at them.

"(Thank you all very much, we must be on our way, but we also need to be careful for more traps.)" Petilil said.

"(Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Dark here is not your average Pokemon Trainer, he knows Martial Arts, I'm pretty sure he can avoid those traps no problem.)" Panpour said as Petilil looked at Dark in shock.

"He's right, come on, let's go!" Dark said about ready to go but Sandile stopped him by biting on Dark's tail.

"(Hold on, the others are still out there looking for us, and I bet they're pretty worried by now.)" Sandile reminded them as Dark thought about it and then he smiled and pulled out one of his Pokeballs.

"Then I'll just have Murkrow find them and tell them what's going on. Come on out Murkrow!" Dark said bringing Murkrow out as he flew above them.

"(You need something?)" Murkrow asked as Dark nodded his head.

"Murkrow, I want you to find Ash, Iris, and Cilan, tell them I'm helping Petilil save her friends from a Pokemon thief, and not to worry about me." Dark happily told Murkrow.

"(No problem, I'll give them the message.)" Murkrow said with a nod before he flew off to find Ash, Iris, and Cilan.

"Now let's get going." Dark said before he picked up Sandile so now he's carrying both Petilil and Sandile before he and Panpour started to jump from branch to branch again.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ash, Iris, and Cilan were still trying to get back on the path while also trying to find Dark.

"That's strange, we should be close to the exit and Dark by now." Iris said looking around.

"Maybe it's the wrong way?" Ash guessed.

"No, it's right!" Iris said.

"Are you sure?" Ash asked skeptically.

"Of course I'm sure, it's my sixth sense silly! I just know it!" Iris said proudly.

"More nonscientific explanations." Cilan sighed.

"Well, when I get a hunch it's usually right." Ash told Cilan.

"Shush!" Iris held her hand up to silence Ash and Cilan before she said, "I think I just heard the forest speak."

Then Ash's stomach growled as he said, "Man I'm hungry, sorry."

"I think the forest's voice was actually the sound of Ash's empty stomach." Cilan said not over the fact that Ash's stomach was quiet compared to Dark's stomach.

"Stop Smarty Pants! I know the forest's voice when I hear it, and it came from this way!" Iris yelled running off to where she heard the voice of the forest as Ash and Cilan looked at each other, chuckled a little, then they ran after Iris.

When Ash and Cilan caught up to Iris, they were now standing on ledge, overlooking a canyon that separated the two sides of the path.

"Oops." Iris said nervously.

"Forest's voice, huh?" Ash asked with his arms crossed.

"Uh, the forest told us to come here because it wanted to show us this magnificent scenery!" Iris said to cover up her mistake.

"Whatever you say Iris." Cilan shrugged his shoulders before he said, "It looks like what they said about this forest is true. We got off the path for one second and now we're lost, just like Dark is lost now."

"Yeah well, we wouldn't be in this mess if I hadn't gotten off the path to try and catch Sewaddle in the first place. Sorry guys." Ash said sounding guilty as they all began to worry about Dark once more.

"The best thing to do at a time like this is to get to higher ground and see where we are." Iris said after a few seconds of silence.

"Higher ground?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Yeah, over there!" Iris said pointing over to a group of towering trees.

"She's right, we'll be able to see far from the top of that tree." Cilan agreed.

"Then let's go!" Iris yelled happily before they ran off to a tall tree as Axew jumped on ahead, then Murkrow flew out of a bush as both he and Axew saw each other, screamed, and then crashed into each other before they landed on the ground as the others ran over to the two fallen Pokemon.

"Axew, are you okay?" Iris asked in concern while picking Axew up.

"(I should be okay, but look who it is.)" Axew said pointing at Murkrow who shook off the dirt that got in his feathers.

"Murkrow, what happened? Where's Dark?" Ash asked.

"(Oh, he's fine, he wanted me to tell you guys that he's helping Petilil save her friends from someone bad, and don't worry about him.)" Murkrow said as Ash, Iris, Cilan, Pikachu, and Axew were now looking at each other.

"Well, I just hope we can find him in time to help, let's go!" Iris yelled as they ran off to find the tallest tree as Murkrow was on Ash's free shoulder.

* * *

Meanwhile, Dark and Panpour were still jumping from branch to branch to find this thief in Pinwheel Forest while Dark still held on to Petilil and Sandile, then they stopped to look around.

"(This is getting us nowhere, we're never gonna find this thief if all we can see are a bunch of trees.)" Sandile said while looking around before Petilil got an idea.

"(Wait, I know that there's a big tree where you can climb up and get a good view of the forest, let's try that.)" Petilil suggested.

"Good thinking, let's go for it. And with any luck, we just might run into Ash, Iris, and Cilan there as well." Dark said happily, but then they heard rustling from above them as they looked up as Dark said with a serious expression, "It must be the Pokemon thief Petilil was talking about." then he got Pignite's Pokeball ready after placing Sandile on his head.

Then suddenly, the same Sewaddle from before swung down on his String Shot and tried to kick Dark in the face, but Dark and Panpour dodged the sudden attack as Sewaddle turned around to get a better look at Dark and Panpour, along with Petilil and Sandile before he said, "(Oh, wrong human, I thought you were that other guy.)"

"Sewaddle, is that you?" Dark asked happy to see the Pokemon Ash tried to catch, but Panpour was a different story.

"(Get him anyway, he got us into this mess!)" Panpour yelled now remembering their last encounter with the Sewing Pokemon.

"(Hey, I just wanted to have a battle, calm down.)" Sewaddle said as Panpour was now growling at Sewaddle.

"(That's it, I'll get you this time for what you did to me the last time!)" Panpour yelled before he jumped towards Sewaddle and got his Iron Tail ready, but then Sewaddle used his String Shot to swing away as Panpour jumped after him and yelled, "(You're not getting away this time, get back here!)"

"Hey Panpour, where are you going? Wait for us!" Dark yelled before he jumped after Panpour and Sewaddle while holding on to Sandile and Petilil.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ash, Pikachu, Iris, Axew, Cilan, and Murkrow were now standing in front of an enormous tree.

"Whoa, what an enormous tree." Ash said in awe.

"(I'll say.)" Pikachu agreed as Iris ran on ahead.

"I'll go check it out!" Iris yelled as she kept running towards the tree.

"Wait, I'm coming too!" Ash yelled running after Iris while Murkrow flew over to Cilan and landed on his shoulder as they saw Ash and Iris climb the big tree with Pikachu and Axew holding on to their trainers.

Ash finally caught up to Iris who was looking around as Ash asked, "What's wrong?"

"(Did you find Dark and Panpour?)" Pikachu asked as Iris turned to them.

"Maybe we should climb a little higher to get a better view." Iris suggested.

"Then let's go!" Ash said before they looked up and they were surprised by what they saw before them.

"What is that thing?" Iris asked while sweat dropping.

"Hey! You guys all right?" Cilan called up.

"There's something weird up here!" Ash called down confusing Cilan and Murkrow.

"Something weird?" Cilan asked as Murkrow shrugged his shoulders as what Ash and Iris were looking at turned out to be a man who jumped down in front of them and motioned for them to be quiet.

"You don't want to scare the forest Pokemon, do you?" the man asked quietly as Ash and Iris just looked in confusion.

Soon, they got back down to join Cilan and Murkrow as Ash asked, "I don't get it, what were you doing up there?"

"I surround myself with nature by living like a forest Pokemon." the man replied.

"But why do you surround yourself with nature like that?" Iris asked in confusion.

"If I tell you, will you understand?" the man asked, then he replied, "It's my pure heart, that's what it is!"

"Really, your pure heart?" Cilan asked.

"(That's cool, yet kinda odd at the same time.)" Murkrow added.

"I draw, design pictures, clothes. Honestly, I'm a super-talented artist!" the man said like he was in his own little world, but then he hung his head down and said, "A true genius, who's stuck in a slump."

"Oh, so even geniuses go through slumps?" Iris asked as the man quickly got happy again.

"Of course, I stayed out here in the forest to live among the forest Pokemon." the man replied happily.

"And that's why you've got a pure heart?" Ash asked.

"That's it! A pure heart makes for profound art!" the man replied as Ash, Pikachu, Iris, Axew, Cilan, and Murkrow sweat dropped at the man.

"I've talked enough about me, so what are you doing in a place like this?" the man asked.

"Well, we strayed off the path and got lost, we even got separated from one of our friends." Cilan explained.

"I see. Have no fear, I can help you find your missing friend and guide you all out of here!" the man said before he leaned in closer like he wanted to tell a secret as he asked, "But since you're here, why don't you enjoy living in the forest for a while?"

"The thing is, I wanna go to Castelia City and challenge the gym, same with our friend that we're trying to find." Ash replied with his hand behind his head.

"It's useless to go there now." the man said jumping backwards onto the tree trunk confusing the trainers in front of him.

"After all, the Castelia Gym Leader, Burgh, just happens to be me." Burgh said taking Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the Pokemon by surprise.

"Wait, you're Burgh, the world famous Bug-Type Pokemon Trainer?" Cilan asked in shock.

"I'm not just any Bug-Type Pokemon Trainer, I'm an artistic trainer!" Burgh replied, causing Ash, Iris, Cilan, and the Pokemon to sweat drop.

"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town in the Kanto Region, glad to meet you, and this is Pikachu!" Ash introduced after some time passed.

"(Hey.)" Pikachu waved.

"Hi there, I'm Iris, and this is Axew." Iris introduced as Axew waved as well.

"And I'm Cilan, a Pokemon Connoisseur. This is Murkrow, he's not mine, he belongs to our friend that we're trying to find." Cilan introduced as Murkrow happily cawed to Burgh.

"Pokemon Trainers traveling together and expanding horizons. Ah yes, to remember those brilliant days of long ago that will never return! Youth! Innocence, with a pure heart!" Burgh said lost in his own world again, then he looked like he got an idea and pulled a sketchpad out of his backpack and said, "Eureka!" then he tapped the sketchpad with his pencil multiple times, hummed thoughtfully, then he hung his head down again.

"Everything okay?" Ash asked.

"My artistic inspiration came and went! And here I thought I had it, safely in the palm of my artistic hand." Burgh said sadly.

"Uh pardon me, but I'm still trying to figure out how you get this artistic inspiration of yours back by living out here like a forest Pokemon." Iris said as Burgh got back up quickly.

"I guess you could say it depends on the person. When you live in the forest, surrounded by nature in its most primitive form, your dulled and long-forgotten senses come alive! You realize how beautiful nature is and you become one with the forest." Burgh said before placing a foot up against the tree trunk and a hand to his forehead, then he said, "Old things become new and fresh!"

"Now I know what you mean!" Iris said happily.

"(Same here!)" Axew happily agreed.

"Yeah, I finally get it too!" Ash said before Sewaddle swung from a nearby tree and kicked Ash in the face, causing Pikachu to jump off as Ash fell to the ground.

"That's the Sewaddle from before!" Iris exclaimed as they looked at Sewaddle.

"You know that little guy?" Burgh asked.

Ash nodded and said, "We got lost and separated from our friend, Dark, because I was trying to catch Sewaddle!"

"(I've got you now!)" everyone looked up to see Panpour jump down from the big tree and got his Iron Tail ready to attack Sewaddle who jumped on Ash's hat, knocking him over a little as Panpour hit the ground next to Pikachu while Sewaddle landed on Burgh's shoulder and began to eat one of the leaves next to them.

"(Oh man, I missed.)" Panpour sighed as Pikachu helped Panpour up.

"Panpour?" Cilan asked in confusion.

"If he's here, then that means..." Ash trailed when they heard more rustling in the tree as they looked up to see Dark come down as he landed on his feet before he placed Sandile and Petilil down before he turned to look at the others in front of him.

"Oh, hi guys." Dark said with a silly smile on his face.

"Dark, you're okay!" Ash exclaimed happily before he jumped up and gave Dark a big hug, then he said, "Dark, I thought we'd never find you! Don't you ever wander out of our sight again!" then he noticed that the others were looking in confusion as Ash quickly put Dark down and said, "What? I was worried about him."

"Well, we were worried too." Cilan said as Murkrow flew over to Dark.

"Don't worry guys I'm fine, we were just trying to help Petilil out when we saw Sewaddle again, so we followed him, and here we are." Dark said as they turned to Burgh and Sewaddle.

"Sewaddle's a bit stubborn, but he's actually a very sweet Pokemon, much like Petilil over there." Burgh explained.

"So, are Sewaddle and Petilil your Pokemon sir?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail.

"No, no, they're both wild Pokemon, they're just one of the discoveries I've made while living and spending time here in the forest." Burgh happily explained.

"Wow, living out here with forest Pokemon sounds like a lot of fun." Ash said happily.

"Oh, it is, my home might not be as big as this forest, but me and Panpour have a lot of fun with the Pokemon in the Nuvema Forest." Dark happily said.

Panpour sighed happily before he said, "(Oh yeah, good times, good times.)"

"I see, so you're from the forest in Nuvema Town?" Burgh asked.

"Yep, I'm Dark, and these are my Pokemon, Panpour, Sandile, and Murkrow." Dark happily introduced.

"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Burgh, the Castelia Gym Leader." Burgh introduced before he turned to Ash and said, "It's important for a Pokemon Trainer to get to know a Pokemon before they attempt to catch it. How would you all like to join me?"

"That sounds great!" Ash said with excitement as Dark nodded in agreement.

"(Sure!)" Pikachu agreed as did Panpour.

"Yeah!" Iris said while Axew was also on board.

"Then let's set up camp here, I'll start getting things ready for supper time!" Cilan said, but then suddenly they heard something in the distance.

"What was that?" Iris asked in confusion.

"It must be the thief Petilil told me about." Dark said with a serious expression before he ran off as did Panpour, Murkrow, Petilil, and Sandile.

"A thief!? I'd better look into that myself." Burgh said before he followed after Dark.

"Hey, wait up!" Ash yelled before he, Pikachu, Iris, Axew, and Cilan ran after them as well.

* * *

Later, a couple of Petilil and Sewaddle were caught and put in a big cage with the other Pokemon of Pinwheel Forest by a crook who was wearing a bunch of green clothing, dark green tank-top over a big green vest, light green shorts, and green boots, he was wearing sunglasses with a leaf tattoo on his left cheek, and he also had short black hair as he smirked at the Pokemon in the cage.

"The perfect catch of the day, it just gets easier and easier. It's only a matter of time before the Grass-Type Pokemon of legend comes along, and I'll be waiting for it." the crook said holding up some more traps.

"Hold it!" the crook turned to see Burgh, Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, and their Pokemon in front of him as they glared at him.

"Well, well, well, I was wondering where that sneaky Petilil went, thanks for bringing her back to me." the crook said as Petilil hid behind Dark's leg in fear as Dark got a good look at the traps in the crooks hand.

"It was you! You're the one who set traps all over Pinwheel Forest! You're after the Pokemon here, aren't you!?" Dark asked angrily.

"I guess you've seen some of the traps here, very good little one. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm known as the Grass-Type poacher, a Grass-Type collector if you will, call me Griffin." Griffin said as Dark kept growling at the thief.

"What are you doing with all of those Pokemon?" Burgh asked angrily.

"Ah, Burgh, the Castelia City Gym Leader, pleasure to meet you in person. To answer your question, I'm gonna capture all of the Grass-Type Pokemon here in Pinwheel Forest, then I'll sell them to anyone in Unova. Not only that, but I'm after the big prize, I'm going to capture the legendary Grass-Type Pokemon who resides here and sell it as well, anyone would pay a really high price for that kind of Pokemon!" Griffin declared as Dark got really mad at Griffin, so mad that a couple of veins could be seen on his head and the fur on his tail stood up, catching Ash, Iris, Cilan, and their Pokemon by surprise, they've never seen Dark so mad before.

"What you're doing to the Pokemon here is just wrong! Pokemon are meant to be our friends, not something you can just carelessly sell!" Dark yelled angrily.

"You really believe that kid? Face it, Pokemon are just simply creatures that would fetch a high price to just about anyone." Griffin said with his arms crossed.

"What did you say!?" Dark growled as his fists were now shaking while Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Burgh were almost as angry as Dark yelled, "You better release those Pokemon, or else I'll have to take them back by force!"

"Oh yeah?" Griffin asked before he threw three Pokeballs into the air, and out of them came a Darmanitan, a Galvantula, and a Scolipede as Pikachu, Panpour, and Sandile stepped up to join in the battle.

"You're not getting any other Pokemon here." Burgh said seriously.

"Oh really?" Griffin smirked as Galvantula fired an Electroweb at Sewaddle who tried to use String Shot to get out of the way, but he was caught in the web after Darmanitan used Psychic to hold Sewaddle in place.

"Good work, now for that Petilil that got away." Griffin said as Petilil shook some more behind Dark.

"Oh no you don't! Sandile, Stone Edge! Panpour, Water Gun!" Dark yelled as Sandile fired sharp stones at Darmanitan while Ash tried to pull Sewaddle back from Galvantula, despite being shocked by the Electroweb, and as Panpour tried to fire a Water Gun, nothing came out except for a little water, causing Dark to worry about Panpour.

"Oh no, what's wrong Panpour?" Dark asked in concern as Griffin laughed.

"This has got to be some kind of joke, calling attacks that he can't even do!" Griffin laughed some more as Pikachu growled.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled as Pikachu tried to use Thunderbolt, but it had the same results as Panpour's Water Gun.

"Okay, Sandile, use Crunch to free Sewaddle!" Dark yelled as Sandile ran and then sunk his jaws into the web, ripping it apart and freeing Sewaddle in the process as he landed in Ash's arms while Sandile got hit hard by Darmanitan causing him to crash into Pikachu and Panpour.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled in concern.

"Panpour! Sandile!" Dark yelled in concern as well as the three Pokemon got back up.

"How do you like Darmanitan's Hammer Arm? One of the best ways to capture Grass-Type Pokemon if I do say so myself." Griffin smirked as Pikachu, Panpour, and Sandile growled angrily as Griffin continued with, "Unless you want those three to get seriously hurt, I suggest you hand over that Petilil and that Sewaddle."

"Never! Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash yelled as Pikachu charged towards Scolipede with great speed.

"Panpour, use Scald on Darmanitan, and Sandile, use Stone Edge on Galvantula!" Dark yelled as Panpour fired boiling hot water at Darmanitan while Sandile fired sharp stones at Galvantula.

"Darmanitan, use Psychic to send Scald and Stone Edge right back! Scolipede, use Poison Tail to send that yellow rat packing! Galvantula, finish the combo with Electroweb!" Griffin yelled as Darmanitan used Psychic to send Scald and Stone Edge back at Panpour and Sandile, Scolipede's tail glowed purple as it smacked Pikachu back over to Panpour and Sandile, and Galvantula fired an Electroweb at the three Pokemon while Sandile moved out of the way, but Pikachu and Panpour were caught in it and were shocked by the web, Panpour more so than Pikachu.

"Oh no!" Ash and Dark yelled seeing their partners get shocked as they ran over to help them.

"This is bad!" Iris said sounding worried.

"I know!" Cilan agreed while Burgh growled at Griffin who was laughing as Sandile got hit with Darmanitan's Hammer Arm, Galvantula's Fury Cutter, and Scolipede's Poison Tail, one by one while Sewaddle and Petilil looked at Ash and Dark who were trying to get Pikachu and Panpour out of the web, then they looked at each other and nodded with determined looks on their faces.

"There you go!" Dark grunted as he and Ash ripped the web and freed Pikachu and Panpour, but the two of them looked like they were in bad shape as they panted as did Sandile.

Griffin laughed, "Look at the state your Pokemon are in now! If you hand over that Petilil and Sewaddle right now, I might spare them."

"I'm never gonna hand Petilil over to you, she's my friend! I'm gonna get those Pokemon out of there for her, I promised her I would!" Dark yelled seriously.

"And there's no way I'm gonna give you Sewaddle, Pokemon should be free and happy!" Ash yelled seriously as well as Pikachu, Panpour, and Sandile growled at the three Pokemon in front of them, then suddenly a ball of electricity began to form at the tip of Pikachu's tail, a ball of water started to form in Panpour's hands, and Sandile started to glow, catching everyone else by surprise.

"Hey, what's happening?" Dark asked as the balls got bigger for Pikachu and Panpour while Sandile started to change.

"It looks like Pikachu and Panpour are using a new move." Iris observed.

"And Sandile's evolving!" Cilan finished as the balls were big enough for Pikachu and Panpour while the glow went away and Sandile evolved into a bigger Desert Croc Pokemon standing on two legs while he had his arms crossed as they kept growling at Darmanitan, Scolipede, and Galvantula.

"Looks like Pikachu learned Electro Ball, Panpour learned Water Pulse, and Sandile evolved into Krokorok!" Burgh exclaimed shocking the others as Dark pulled his Pokedex out to find out more about Krokorok.

"Krokorok, the Desert Croc Pokemon, and the evolved form of Sandile. The special membrane that covers Krokorok's eyes detects heat, which allows it to see in the dark." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away while Pikachu launched his Electro Ball at Scolipede while Panpour fired his Water Pulse at Darmanitan who jumped out of the way, but then Panpour surprised everyone again by moving his paws up as the Water Pulse ball suddenly went up and hit Darmanitan right in the face, now both Scolipede and Darmanitan were knocked out, leaving only Galvantula to fight for Griffin.

"Big deal, I'm not afraid of a little evolution! Show them what I mean Galvantula and use Fury Cutter!" Griffin yelled as Galvantula charged towards Krokorok while getting Fury Cutter ready.

"Krokorok, use Dig to dodge it!" Dark yelled as Krokorok dug underground just before Galvantula could hit him, then Petilil came out of nowhere and winked sending hearts over to Galvantula who then had hearts in his own eyes after he got hit with the random hearts.

"That's what happened the last time, that sneaky Petilil!" Griffin growled before Sewaddle came and kicked him in the face, knocking to the ground while Krokorok emerged in front of the cage.

"It looks like Petilil and Sewaddle want to help Ash and Dark." Iris observed.

"I'm not surprised, Ash and Dark are going through a lot just to save Sewaddle and Petilil, they're really selfless indeed." Burgh said seriously as Krokorok used Crunch to break open the cage, freeing all the Pokemon trapped inside as they ran further into Pinwheel Forest as Griffin noticed it after some more kicks from Sewaddle.

"No, my Grass-Type Pokemon, they're gone! You'll pay for that, all of you!" Griffin yelled angrily but then multi-colored leaves came out of nowhere and hit Griffin and all three of his Pokemon, knocking them back as the others saw the shadow of a big Pokemon leave the area, then Sewaddle used String Shot to tie up Griffin and his Pokemon.

"What was that?" Dark asked in confusion.

"(The powerful Grass-Type Pokemon of legend, I just know it was it.)" Petilil said with sparkles in her eyes standing next to Dark as Krokorok ran over to him as well.

"I was quite impressed with the way you two saved those Pokemon and what you did to try and protect Sewaddle and Petilil, in a totally unselfish way and with pure hearts." Burgh told Ash and Dark as he, Iris, and Cilan ran over to them.

"Thanks guys." Ash said rubbing the back of his neck while Dark's tail was wagging behind him which was creeping Griffin and his Pokemon out.

"Looks to me like Sewaddle and Petilil feel the same way." Cilan said with a friendly chuckle as Ash and Dark looked down to see that Sewaddle was rubbing Ash's leg and Petilil was rubbing Dark's leg, then Ash and Dark got down to the two Pokemon in front of them.

"So, you two want to come along with us?" Dark asked.

"(Yes please!)" Petilil happily said before jumping into Dark's arms.

"(Yeah, I want to come along too!)" Sewaddle happily told Ash.

"That's great!" Ash exclaimed as he and Dark each got a Pokeball ready.

"Let's go Pokeball!" Ash and Dark yelled at the same time as Ash threw his at Sewaddle while Dark tapped Petilil with his as the two of them got sucked inside, then the balls shook three times before they clicked, but the red light in the middle was still there.

"Yes, we've got Sewaddle and Petilil!" Ash and Dark yelled together while holding the Pokeballs up high while Pikachu, Panpour, and Krokorok cheered as well, but then the two Pokeballs shrunk with the red light still on as Ash and Dark looked at them in confusion.

"What just happened with the Pokeballs?" Dark asked in confusion while tapping the button in the middle.

"I think I can answer that. You both each already have six Pokemon with you, right?" Cilan asked as Ash nodded his head while Dark didn't know where Cilan was going with this but he nodded his head anyway as Cilan continued with, "That's the thing, you see Pokemon Trainers are only allowed to carry six Pokemon with them, and any others that they catch are put over to Professor Juniper's Lab."

"There's a Pokemon Center right on the outskirts of Pinwheel Forest, I'll take you there." Burgh offered as Ash and Dark smiled as they looked at each other.

* * *

Soon, after taking Griffin to the Police, Iris, Cilan, and Burgh were waiting for Ash and Dark in front of the Pokemon Center as the two of them exited the Pokemon Center.

"Nurse Joy said that both Sewaddle and Petilil are as healthy as can be." Ash happily told Iris, Cilan, and Burgh.

"Ash decided to send Pidove over to Professor Juniper and I did the same for Darmanitan." Dark happily added.

"Ah yes, thanks to both Ash and Dark, I've got an idea for my next project! Now I'm off to Castelia City, I'll be waiting for you two there!" Burgh declared before he ran off to his Gym in Castelia City.

"Bye, see you there!" Ash called as he waved to Burgh as Pikachu did the same.

"We'll be waiting for you there!" Dark called as he and Panpour waved as well.

"Goodbye Burgh!" Iris called waving along as did Axew and Cilan.

"Safe travels!" Cilan called.

* * *

What an adventure it has been for Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan, they've met some interesting new Pokemon like Sewaddle and Petilil, Pikachu learned Electro Ball, Panpour learned Water Pulse, and Sandile evolved in Krokorok. Not only that, but they've also met and befriended the Castelia City Gym Leader, Burgh and helped stopped a Pokemon thief. What a day it has been for the group, but soon they will get back on the road to Castelia City for Ash and Dark's third Unova Region Gym Badge, and they'll meet someone from Cilan's past next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	19. A Connaisseuse's Revenge

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan have made it to Pinwheel Forest, and they got into trouble right away. Ash, Iris, and Cilan ran off to follow a Sewaddle that Ash wanted to catch while Dark went off with Panpour and Sandile to help a Petilil save her friends from a Pokemon thief. Soon, they all met Burgh, the Castelia Gym Leader, and they all ran off to stop the thief by the name of Griffin. It looked like the thief would win with his Darmanitan, Scolipede, and Galvantula, but Pikachu, Panpour, and Sandile turned the tables in their favor when Pikachu learned Electro Ball, Panpour learned Water Pulse, and Sandile evolved into Krokorok. With help from Petilil, Sewaddle, and a mysterious Pokemon that was hiding in the shadows, Ash, Dark, and the others stopped Griffin and freed the captured Pokemon. Now Sewaddle decided to go with Ash while Petilil decided to go with Dark, and now the two Pokemon Trainers each have a new member to their teams.

A Connaisseuse's Revenge

The next day, after saying goodbye to Burgh and leaving Pinwheel Forest behind them, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan continued on their way to Castelia City, but then they spotted a building in the distance, so they've decided to check it out, and now they were standing in front of it.

"What's that?" Dark asked scratching his head with his tail.

"From the look of it, I'd say this is a brand new Poke-Mart." Cilan said confusing Dark and Panpour.

"They must be having their grand opening!" Iris said with excitement.

"Let's go check it out!" Ash said before he, Iris, and Cilan walked inside while Dark and Panpour just looked at each other in confusion.

"We'd better go with them." Dark said still a little lost.

"(Yeah, good idea.)" Panpour agreed before Dark ran off to catch up with his friends, and when he did he saw that the Poke-Mart was huge inside.

"Wow, it's so huge, I can't believe all of these people live here." Dark said in awe while looking around.

"They don't live here silly, a Poke-Mart is a place where traveling Pokemon Trainers like us can buy useful items for the long journey ahead of them." Ash explained.

"There's so much to see. Where first? Okay, I'll look over there!" Iris said before rushing off to another part of the Poke-Mart.

"I'll bet they've got every kind of Pokemon Food and medicine in the world here." Ash said looking around some more.

"Poke-Marts usually have quite an extensive selection, but this one is more extensive than normal!" Cilan commented as the three of them walked around the Poke-Mart.

* * *

As they were walking, Ash, Dark, and Cilan spotted a line of people in front of a purple curtain.

"What's going on over there?" Ash asked in confusion.

"They're waiting in line to get into a Connoisseur Shop, where a Connoisseur checks compatibility." Cilan explained.

"Connoisseur compatibility?" Ash and Dark asked at the same time as Cilan nodded.

"They check the compatibility between Pokemon and trainers and give them advice." Cilan explained.

"Wait, I thought you were the only Pokemon Connoisseur." Dark said tilting his head in confusion.

"Of course not Dark, you see, every Pokemon Connoisseur has a rank. One must be evaluated by the Pokemon Connoisseur Association. Then a Connoisseur is ranked, starting with C-Class, then up to B-Class, then A-Class, and finally S-Class, the highest ranking." Cilan explained as they walked over to the curtain before Cilan continued, "In order to perform a compatibility check, you have to be A-Class or higher. And it just so happens that I'm an A-Class Pokemon Connoisseur."

"(Wow... My brain hurts.)" Panpour said as a boy happily walked away with a happy Minccino in his arms as they saw that it was a female behind the curtains as the next one in line was up.

"Hey, it's a girl." Ash noticed.

"Correct, the proper name for a female Connoisseur is Connaisseuse. Why don't you guys each have a consultation with her? I think it's a good idea to get a little feedback from someone else once in a while." Cilan suggested as Ash and Dark smiled at each other.

"We'll do it. I can ask her about how compatible I am with my Sewaddle." Ash said while holding Sewaddle's Pokeball.

"And I'll do the same for me and Petilil." Dark said while holding Petilil's Pokeball.

"That's the spirit. I'll go and browse through some of the Pokemon Food products." Cilan said.

"'Kay, see you later." Ash said as he and Dark put their Pokeballs back in their spots as Cilan ran off.

* * *

Soon, Ash and Dark were standing in the back of the line to have their Pokemon evaluated.

"Man, this line's pretty long." Ash commented as he and Dark saw the many people in front of them.

"I guess people here in Unova really enjoy listening to a Pokemon Connoisseur." Dark said before they heard another voice behind them.

"Excuse me!" Ash and Dark turned around to see a hand sticking behind a blue curtain motioning them to the person behind it as she continued with, "You two in the hats, you don't have to wait in that silly line. I'm a Pokemon Connaisseuse too!"

"Wow, so you can see us right away?" Ash asked getting excited.

"Bien sur." the woman said as Ash and Dark walked over to the blue curtain as they saw that the girl had smooth purple hair as she said, "Come right in."

"Thanks a lot." Dark said as they went inside.

"Bon, have a seat you two!" the girl said as she pushed Ash and Dark over to sit down in two purple folding chairs as she said, "There you go." Ash was taken a bit off guard from the pushing but Dark just wagged his tail a little.

"Uh, I'm Ash Ketchum and I'm a Pokemon Trainer, and this is my best buddy, Pikachu." Ash introduced as Pikachu waved.

"I'm Dark, I'm a Pokemon Trainer as well, and this is my best friend, Panpour." Dark introduced as Panpour waved as well.

"My name is Burgundy. I may not look it, but I'm a highly skilled Connaisseuse ranked by the Pokemon Connoisseur Association." Burgundy introduced.

"Wow." Ash and Dark commented as Burgundy took a seat in front of them.

"So, besides compatibility, you can also ask me about preparing Pokemon Food, battle strategy, and even the choice of accessories." Burgundy said as Ash, Dark, Pikachu, and Panpour just looked at each other.

"Actually, I don't think we need any help with battle strategy." Dark said.

"Yeah, I'm on a journey to become a Pokemon Master!" Ash said with determination, then he continued with, "We were hoping you could tell us more about the compatibility between us and our Pokemon."

"You mean Pikachu and Panpour!" Burgundy exclaimed getting close to Ash's face causing him to scoot back a little bit as Burgundy continued with, "Pikachu's an extremely rare Pokemon in the Unova Region, and that Panpour seems like a rare one as well."

"That's what most people said about Pikachu." Dark said as Burgundy sniffed the air around Pikachu and Panpour.

"They even have rare fragrances." Burgundy said making Pikachu and Panpour sweat drop a little.

"I don't need to know about Pikachu. No doubt that we're a perfect match!" Ash told Burgundy.

"(You've got that right!)" Pikachu agreed.

"And I've been with Panpour for years, so we're a good match ourselves." Dark happily said.

"(You better believe it buddy.)" Panpour agreed.

"See, we wanted to ask you about them. Come out Sewaddle!" Ash said bringing Sewaddle out.

"Petilil, come on out as well!" Dark said bringing Petilil out next to Sewaddle.

"Bon, I'd be more than happy to look at you two as well." Burgundy said with a wink as she pulled out a white Pokedex and then exclaimed, "Oui. Alors, it's evaluating time, s'il vous plait!"

"Huh?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail in confusion as Burgundy was kneeling in front of Sewaddle and Petilil, then she took Ash and Dark's hats off like she was getting a look at their hair, and finally she was done.

"So what do you think?" Ash asked wanting to know as did Dark.

"The partnership between you and your Sewaddle is..." Burgundy began, then she shouted, "THE WORST EVER!" then she looked at Dark and said, "It's the same for the partnership between you and your Petilil."

"What do you mean?" Dark asked in confusion.

"This Sewaddle's special ability is called Swarm, while this Petilil's special ability is called Chlorophyll, but you two would be much more compatible with a Sewaddle that also has the special ability Chlorophyll and a stronger looking Petilil." Burgundy explained.

"How come?" Ash and Dark asked as Burgundy had to think fast.

"Uh, just because." Burgundy said as Ash and Dark looked at each other again, that's when Burgundy continued with, "Are you two questioning the advice of a Connaisseuse recognized by the Pokemon Connoisseur Association? Look, the truth is you find Bug-Type Pokemon anywhere, and Grass-Type are pretty easy to find anywhere that's green. Now take my expert Connaisseuse advice and go out and catch a different Sewaddle and Petilil."

"Huh?" Dark asked.

"For real?" Ash asked.

"(Sounds crazy!)" Panpour exclaimed.

"(I'll say!)" Pikachu agreed as Sewaddle and Petilil glared at Burgundy.

"(How dare you!)" Sewaddle and Petilil yelled as Petilil fired a green ball of energy at Burgundy's face, then Sewaddle used String Shot, wrapping Burgundy's head with it.

"Return!" Ash and Dark said returning Sewaddle and Petilil back to their Pokeballs as Burgundy ripped the String Shot off her head.

"Why the nerve of those annoying pesky Pokemon! Don't you two have any proper Pokemon you can show me?" Burgundy said more than a little angry.

"Proper, what does that mean?" Dark asked in confusion causing Ash, Pikachu, and Panpour to fall over while Burgundy smacked her forehead.

"I've had quite enough of those two, so both of you show me two other Pokemon now!" Burgundy demanded.

"No thanks, we've... gotta go, come on Dark." Ash said a bit nervous as he stood up and grabbed Dark's hand, but then Burgundy pushed Ash against the curtain and made him let go of Dark.

"Didn't you say you wanted to become a Pokemon Master? Unless you have your compatibility properly evaluated, THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN!" Burgundy shouted as Dark stepped up between Ash and Burgundy.

"How about Kabuto and Snivy?" Dark suggested causing Burgundy to let Ash go as Ash and Dark brought Snivy and Kabuto out to be evaluated.

Burgundy sniffed he air around them before she said, "Snivy has a pungent aroma like black pepper with no subtlety at all, and Kabuto has the aroma of the sea, no surprise for him being a Water-Type and a Rock-Type." then she looked at Snivy's eyes and Kabuto's claws and said, "And Snivy's eyes, along with Kabuto's claws are too sharp, like kitchen knives. Now the taste test."

Snivy and Kabuto were both taken a little aback when Burgundy came forward with her tongue sticking out.

"(Oh no you don't!)" Snivy yelled before she hit Burgundy on the tongue with Vine Whip while Kabuto scurried back over to Dark.

"Snivy also has zero respect for my tongue." Burgundy said as Ash and Dark returned Snivy and Kabuto.

"You really shouldn't say that." Dark said not liking that Burgundy got mad at Snivy.

"What about my Tepig and Dark's Pignite?" Ash asked as he and Dark brought Tepig and Pignite out to be evaluated.

"A Tepig and a Pignite, eh?" Burgundy asked as she and the two Fire-Type Pokemon stared at each other, then after several seconds, she said, "They're both no good."

"What do you mean no good?" Ash asked sounding a bit mad.

"They just stand there with those silly smiles. They're too good-natured for a Pokemon Battle." Burgundy replied.

"(Ha. She hasn't seen us when the chips are down.)" Panpour whispered to Pikachu before the two of them gave each other a high-paw.

"I don't have to evaluate to know that." Burgundy continued while both Tepig and Pignite were insulted by the comment, then Tepig fired his Ember attack on Burgundy, and then Pignite got Burgundy again with his Flamethrower before Ash and Dark returned them.

"Well, let's go with Krokorok." Dark said bringing Krokorok out to be evaluated while Oshawott popped out his Pokemon by himself.

"Oshawott, why do you keep doing that?" Ash asked.

"(Because I like getting out once in a while.)" Oshawott said before rubbing against Burgundy's leg.

"(Oh brother.)" Panpour groaned while smacking his forehead.

"Au Zut! I can't believe this childish behavior from Oshawott!" Burgundy exclaimed before she waved her hand in front of her face and continued with, "Or that old, stale, and musty aroma drifting through the air from those two Pokemon. This Oshawott is a complete waste of my time. And those silly sunglasses on Krokorok, why have them on when he can see even in the strongest of sandstorms? That Krokorok is also a waste of my time."

Oshawott and Krokorok took offense to those comments as Oshawott fired a Water Gun at Burgundy's face and then walked away before Krokorok walked over and tripped Burgundy using his tail, then Krokorok crossed his arms and said, "(Never insult my sunglasses.)"

Then Burgundy dried herself off while Ash and Dark returned Oshawott and Krokorok before Ash asked, "Uh, okay, how about Scraggy and Murkrow?" then Ash and Dark brought Scraggy and Murkrow out to be evaluated.

Burgundy sniffed the air around Scraggy and Murkrow, then she said, "Scraggy has the aroma of an old shoe while Murkrow has the aroma of a Pidove nest. But, even so..."

"(Okay!)" Scraggy and Murkrow said at the same.

"You both ought to be ashamed." Burgundy finished as Scraggy and Murkrow took offense to that as Murkrow flew up to Burgundy and scared her a little with Astonish, then Murkrow flew out of the way so Scraggy could hit Burgundy in the face with Headbutt.

"Enough! All of your Pokemon are far too acidic for their own good and they're paralyzing my tongue!" Burgundy yelled at Ash and Dark.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Dark said tilting his head in confusion.

"But before, you said Pikachu and Panpour were rare Pokemon and they both had a rare fragrance or something like that." Ash added.

"The word 'rare' doesn't necessarily mean good. Frankly, your Pikachu's not as cute as the pictures I've seen." Burgundy said making Pikachu angry.

"Uh-oh, she shouldn't have said that." Ash thought to himself while sweating nervously a little.

"(You've got some nerve!)" Pikachu yelled as he fired a Thunderbolt at Burgundy, shocking her as she fell to the ground as Panpour laughed at the scene.

Burgundy got up and she was glaring at Panpour as she yelled, "You think this is funny, you worthless Water Monkey!?" that's when Panpour instantly stopped laughing.

"(Worthless?)" Panpour asked as he glared at Burgundy.

"Uh-oh." Dark said sweating a little nervously himself.

"(Are you talking to me?)" Panpour asked still glaring.

"You called him worthless." Dark whispered to Burgundy who was a bit confused.

"(Are you talking to me?)" Panpour asked again a little louder as his face slowly glowed red with anger.

"You shouldn't have done that." Dark told Burgundy.

"(Are you talking to me!?)" Panpour yelled starting to get really mad right now with his whole face red with anger.

"Now she's in for it." Dark shrugged his shoulders.

"(NOBODY CALLS ME WORTHLESS!)" Panpour angrily shouted before he fired his Scald attack on Burgundy's face, causing her to fall down again, before she quickly got back up.

"Horrible! All your Pokemon are simply horrible! You two need to make a complete change of your Pokemon right away!" Burgundy shouted while pointing at Ash and Dark.

"Sorry, but you're wrong!" Ash yelled back.

"Yeah, we get along great with our Pokemon." Dark defended Ash.

"Then you two don't mind being losers?" Burgundy asked before she got close to Ash's face and yelled, "Didn't you say you wanted to become a Pokemon Master? Collect all eight Gym Badges and make it to the Unova League? Newsflash, not gonna happen! Remember, I'm a Pokemon Connaisseuse and I know what I'm talking about."

"Sorry, but I don't think you really do." Dark said defending his friend again but then the curtain opened up with Iris and Cilan coming in.

"Ash, Dark, we were wondering where you two ran off to." Iris told Ash and Dark.

"When I came back, you two were gone and I got a bit worried." Cilan added as Burgundy got a good look at him and then shouted in surprise.

"YOU!" Burgundy angrily shouted while pointing at Cilan who was a bit confused before he realized something.

"Hold on, I know you!" Cilan said causing Ash, Dark, and Iris to look at him.

"Cilan, do you know her? Where did you two meet?" Dark asked in confusion.

"She challenged me to a battle at the Striaton Gym. But, if I remember correctly, she lost." Cilan said remembering his last encounter with Burgundy.

"And I've been waiting for this day ever since, because this day is my revenge day!" Burgundy declared pointing at Cilan again.

"Revenge? I've never had anything like that before, is it really tasty?" Dark asked with a silly smile as everyone around him fell over.

"Dark, revenge is not a food." Ash sighed as he and the others got back up.

"Uh, what do you want revenge for?" Cilan asked Burgundy in confusion.

"I want revenge not only because you defeated me, but also for all those ridiculous and hurtful things you said about my Pokemon." Burgundy replied.

"What?" Iris asked with a dull expression on her face.

"I thought Cilan was a Pokemon Connoisseur." Dark said in confusion.

Then suddenly, Burgundy got down to Dark's level, grabbed his shoulders, and started to shake him wildly as she yelled, "Oh yeah, well you weren't there when I battled Mr. Connoisseur! He said that my Pokemon were raised and stored in an unacceptable manner! That as a result, they had a horrendous aroma and how they were most unbecoming! And not only that, but he also told me to go wash my face and come back when I've learned my lesson!"

"I said no such thing." Cilan said as Burgundy kept shaking Dark around as Panpour got off Dark's head.

"This girl sure has a vivid imagination." Iris said while sweat dropping as Burgundy stopped shaking Dark and glared at Cilan but she kept her hands on Dark's shoulders.

"Well, it was close enough! I was so hurt and angry... I swore I'd be a greater Connoisseur than you one day and I'd evaluate Pokemon by aroma! First I was evaluated to get my license, and soon I gained recognition by earning that license from the Pokemon Connoisseur Association. But when I went back to the Striaton Gym for my revenge, I was told you had gone on a journey! You knew I was coming to get even and you ran away!" Burgundy shouted standing up after finally letting Dark go as he wobbled back and forth from all that shaking.

"I didn't run away at all. Look, I feel bad that you came after me looking for revenge, but this isn't a Gym and we certainly can't have any sort of Gym Battle now." Cilan said while sweat dropping a little as Ash got down to hold on to Dark's shoulders to keep him from wobbling.

"I already defeated Chili and earned your Gym's Badge." Burgundy said showing her Trio Badge to Cilan before she continued with, "All I care about now is beating you and taking my place as a top-class Connaisseuse. Then I'll become world-famous and I'll finally be able to open up my own Connaisseuse shop!"

"Wait a minute, you mean this isn't your shop Burgundy?" Dark asked starting to get over his dizziness as Burgundy sweated nervously.

"Exactly what class of Connoisseur are you?" Cilan asked with his arms crossed.

"Well, I'm a C-Class at the moment. What about it?" Burgundy replied nervously.

"That's so odd, C-Class is only the beginner's class. According to the Association rules, you're only allowed to work as an assistant to A-Class Connoisseurs and above." Cilan answered.

"So you were lying when you said that mine and Dark's Pokemon compatibility was no good!" Ash yelled angrily while unknowingly shaking Dark by the shoulders once more, but then Iris placed a hand on Ash's shoulder to get him to stop.

"Ash, stop it! Can't you see that Dark's dizzy enough as it is? You're such a kid." Iris sighed before she picked Dark up in her arms.

"Besides, any Connoisseur would've said the same thing I did! You and your little friend both need a complete Pokemon overhaul!" Burgundy yelled while pointing at Ash and Dark.

"There's no need for that. I think Ash and Dark have an excellent relationship with their Pokemon." Cilan said seriously.

"Thanks Cilan. Can someone please make the room stop spinning?" Dark said still a little dizzy.

"So, it appears that there may be a problem with your evaluation method." Cilan said.

"What did you just say?" Burgundy asked getting mad at Cilan again.

"The relationship between Pokemon and trainer is a complex one, you can't always make a good judgement evaluating by the manual." Cilan explained as Burgundy finally had enough.

"I don't need you to lecture me! I already know a hundred times more than you'll ever know and I'll prove it to you by beating you in a Pokemon Battle!" Burgundy declared.

Cilan nodded and then he said with determination, "Alright then, I accept your challenge!"

"Uh, Panpour, a little help here." Dark said as Panpour fired a Water Pulse ball at Dark's face, splashing him a bit and getting a little water on Iris as well as Dark shook his head, smiled at Panpour and said, "Thank you."

"Sometimes, I'll never understand that kid." Iris said to herself as she put Dark down.

* * *

Later, they went out to a nearby field so Cilan and Burgundy can have their battle.

"How does a two-on-two battle sound to you?" Burgundy asked.

"That's fine with me." Cilan replied.

"This is a real Connoisseur battle!" Ash exclaimed with excitement.

"I've never seen one before." Dark said with his tail wagging behind him.

"Well, if you ask me, I think this battle's gonna be a bit of a pain." Iris said with a dull expression on her face.

"Alright Dewott, let's go!" Burgundy yelled as she brought a Dewott out of the Pokeball ready for battle.

"Excellent, I see your Oshawott evolved into a Dewott." Cilan commented.

"Grass-Type Pokemon have the advantage over Water-Types." Iris commented.

"So, you think Cilan's gonna use Pansage?" Dark asked in confusion.

"Either him, or another Pokemon, like Dwebble." Ash replied.

"But that will put him at a disadvantage!" Iris exclaimed as Cilan pulled one of his Pokeballs out.

"Now for my Pokemon!" Cilan yelled as he brought out a Bug-Type Pokemon with a rock on his back ready for battle.

"Looks like you were right Ash, Cilan did go for Dwebble." Dark said.

"Alors, it's evaluating time, s'il vous plait!" Burgundy announced but then she looked at Dwebble and said, "You're actually using a Bug-and-Rock-Type against my Water-Type? If your ability to choose wisely were a food, I'd say it has spoiled!"

"We'll just see. It's evaluating time!" Cilan announced in his own way before he continued with, "Think of it this way, you and your Pokemon are gonna get a nice taste of what we have to offer!"

"Bon! But if I am victorious, that will finally prove to you that my evaluation method is correct!" Burgundy said making Pikachu and Panpour roll their eyes.

"I'm afraid that will never be the case." Cilan said calmly.

"Well, if you're so sure, then promise me that if I win, Ash and Dark will replace all of their Pokemon." Burgundy said catching Ash and Dark off guard.

"Replace our Pokemon?" Dark asked.

"Hold on, this has nothing to do with me and Dark!" Ash yelled as Dark nodded in agreement.

"Hold on, Cilan said that you two had a good relationship with your Pokemon, oui? But according to my evaluation, the compatibility between you two and all of you Pokemon is the worst of the worst!" Burgundy told Ash and Dark.

"Cilan, could you please say something to her?" Ash asked hopefully.

"I'll be fine. Alright Burgundy, I'll accept your battle challenge." Cilan said making Ash and Iris fall over while Dark tilted his head and Panpour smacked his forehead.

"I'll put my A-Class Connoisseur rating on the line. I'll take full responsibility, if I lose, then Ash and Dark's Pokemon will be replaced!" Cilan added.

"But you can't promise that for us!" Ash yelled angrily.

"Relax Ash, the word 'lose' doesn't exist anywhere in an A-Class Connoisseur's dictionary!" Cilan assured.

"But didn't you and Cress lose to me and Ash back in the Striaton City Gym?" Dark asked in confusion causing Cilan to sweat drop a little.

"Come on, do you have to drag me and Dark into this?" Ash asked a bit sullenly.

"That's Cilan for you, he becomes totally different when it comes to evaluating time." Iris said while sweat dropping.

"Yeah, but what if he loses?" Ash asked a bit worried.

"It'll be alright Ash, I'm sure Cilan knows what he's doing." Dark assured with a silly smile on his face.

"There are no mistakes in my Pokemon Evaluation. I'll show you the power of a Pokemon that's fully matured. Dewott, Water Gun, let's go!" Burgundy yelled as Dewott fired his Water Gun at Dwebble.

"Protect!" Cilan yelled as Dwebble hid in his shell as it glowed green as Dewott's Water Gun bounced right off.

"Now, use Fury Cutter!" Burgundy yelled as Dewott's paws glowed as he charged towards Dwebble.

"Protect again!" Cilan yelled as Dwebble hid in his shell again as it glowed as Dewott attacked, but Dwebble wasn't feeling any pain.

"Dwebble's only defending." Iris commented.

"Oh man, a Bug-Type/Rock-Type like Dwebble's no good going up against a Water-Type like Dewott." Ash said starting to lose hope.

"But still, what's Cilan planning?" Iris asked.

"I don't know." Dark said while shrugging his shoulders as Dewott went back to his side of the battlefield.

"Only defense? That strategy seems awfully dull for an A-Class Connoisseur like yourself! Choosing Dwebble to go up against Dewott is the worst choice you've ever made. We'll finish this off with our next move, use Water Pulse!" Burgundy yelled as Dewott got a ball of water ready before he fired it at Dwebble, who took the hit and then hit the ground after an explosion as Burgundy smiled proudly, it went away when Dwebble got back up with no problem.

"How did Dwebble handle that Water Pulse?" Burgundy asked in shock.

"Easy, my Dwebble's special ability is called Sturdy." Cilan replied.

"So that was his plan." Iris said in realization.

"Hey guys, what's happening to Dewott?" Dark asked in confusion as they saw Dewott panting.

"Dewott's exhausted!" Ash said.

"You're about to taste Dwebble's true power! Use Shell Smash!" Cilan yelled as Dwebble leaped out of his shell and glowed as it cracked and left Dwebble glowing bright red.

"Now, use X-Scissor!" Cilan yelled as Dwebble's front claws grew longer as they glowed.

"Use Razor Shell!" Burgundy yelled as Dewott got his two scalchops ready for Razor Shell before the two attacks collided with each other, then the two Pokemon went back to their trainers and Dwebble happily returned to his rock shell as Dewott collapsed from exhaustion.

"Are you okay? Dewott, return." Burgundy said returning her Dewott to his Pokeball.

"Alright, Dwebble did it!" Ash exclaimed happily.

"As soon as Dwebble dropped his defense, his attacks got much stronger." Iris added.

"Keep it up Cilan!" Dark cheered happily.

"See my method? I chose Dwebble to go up against Dewott because I was sure Sturdy would allow him to withstand even a strong Water-Type attack. All Pokemon are complex, that's why you can't rely on a manual for evaluating them." Cilan told Burgundy.

"So you chose a Pokemon with a type disadvantage just so you could teach me a lesson?" Burgundy asked blinking a couple of times.

"It seems to me that you still don't understand the true nature of evaluating. A Connoisseur's job isn't simply to say no, but to see each and every Pokemon for its own unique qualities and judge them based on that." Cilan explained as Burgundy was now growling as she stood back up with her fists shaking a little.

"Look Cilan, the battle isn't over yet! Sawsbuck, let's go!" Burgundy yelled as she brought out a Pokemon that looks like a full grown deer with flowers on his horns.

"A Sawsbuck?" Dark asked in confusion as Ash brought his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Sawsbuck, the Season Pokemon, and the evolved form of Deerling. The plants on Sawsbuck's horns change depending on the time of year, and people often use them to measure the passing of the seasons." the Pokedex explained before Ash put it away.

"Sawsbuck is my premium brand. I want to see what kind of evaluation you have for us!" Burgundy told Cilan.

"You did great Dwebble, return." Cilan said returning Dwebble to his Pokeball before he pulled another one out and yelled, "And now, my premium brand, Pansage!" then he brought Pansage out to battle Sawsbuck.

"Burgundy, your battle style reflects a fine blend of strength and courage, but it will take some time before that recipe has been refined and developed into one that is destined to become a true, timeless classic!" Cilan told Burgundy who was growling with anger again.

"I don't get it." Dark said while scratching his head with his tail.

"All this recipe talk is making me angry and hungry! Now use Horn Leech!" Burgundy yelled as Sawsbuck's horns glowed orange and gold as he charged towards Pansage.

"Now, use Dig!" Cilan yelled as Pansage dug underground causing Sawsbuck to stop and look around.

"I detect a secret ingredient in Cilan's battle recipe, but just what is that secret ingredient?" Burgundy asked herself.

"Burgundy, now we'll explore the full depths of battle! My recipe revealed!" Cilan suddenly yelled as Pansage emerged from underground behind Sawsbuck, catching him by surprise.

"Jump Kick!" Burgundy yelled.

"Dig once more!" Cilan yelled as Pansage dug underground again to dodge Sawsbuck's back hooves, then Cilan yelled, "Now use Bullet Seed!" as Pansage emerged from underground again and hit Sawsbuck's left side with Bullet Seed, then to the right, and to the backside.

"Cilan, that was sneaky!" Burgundy yelled angrily.

"Sometimes it's necessary to attack from the front and sometimes you must approach from the back, confusing your opponent is another piece of the battle puzzle." Cilan explained as Burgundy growled again.

"Megahorn, let's go!" Burgundy yelled as Sawsbuck's horns glowed as he charged towards Pansage, horns first.

"Perfect! Now that the time is right, I'll end it with an unexpected ingredient. Pansage, use Solar Beam!" Cilan yelled as Pansage cupped his hands together and got his Solar Beam ready as Sawsbuck kept charging and Pansage fired his Solar Beam attack as they both collided, creating a bright light as the others covered their eyes while Cilan just closed his.

"(Am I the only one seeing spots right now?)" Panpour asked after the light died down and Pansage and Sawsbuck stood motionless.

"Victory is mine." Cilan said just before Sawsbuck fell to his side.

"Sawsbuck! Are you okay?" Burgundy asked in concern checking on her Pokemon.

"(Don't worry, I'll be fine.)" Sawsbuck told his trainer.

"You were wonderful, now get a good rest." Burgundy said as she returned Sawsbuck to his Pokeball, then she growled angrily at Cilan before she looked at the ground lost in her thoughts.

"Nice work Cilan, you won!" Dark exclaimed happily as Panpour ran over to give Pansage a big hug, just a little bit too happy.

"Thank goodness for that, now you two don't have to change all of your Pokemon." Iris told Ash and Dark.

"Yeah, what a relief." Ash sighed in relief.

"(You said it.)" Pikachu agreed as Dark turned to Ash.

"I wouldn't have change any of my Pokemon anyway, they're more than just my partners, they're also my friends, my family... In fact, they're the only family I've got. So, even if Cilan lost to Burgundy, I would never change all of my Pokemon for the world, even if it makes me a loser, I'm fine with that as long as I have my friends with me. And telling from the time I've gotten to know you and Pikachu Ash, I can tell that anyone of your Pokemon would've followed you even if you did release them." Dark said with a smile as Panpour got back on Dark's shoulder and gave Ash and Pikachu a thumbs-up.

"Thanks Dark, that means a lot to me." Ash said while smiling back as he placed a hand on Dark's free shoulder while Pikachu gave a thumbs-up back to Panpour as no one noticed that Burgundy turned her focus to Dark.

* * *

The sun was now starting to set as Burgundy got ready to head out, but she was stopped by Cilan who walked up to her with Ash, Dark, and Iris.

"Burgundy, you've got the ingredients for great Connoisseur potential hidden inside you, but that recipe still needs time to develop and grow. The key to anything worthwhile in life is patience." Cilan told Burgundy who growled and angrily turned to face Cilan.

"I'm sick and tired of your lectures! Listen, I'm going to become an S-Class Connaisseuse and then you'll see how strong I really am!" Burgundy yelled angrily.

"Good, I'm looking forward to it." Cilan said with a friendly smile causing Burgundy to look at the ground a bit before she angrily looked at Cilan again.

"I'll have my revenge on you someday for sure!" Burgundy yelled as she got ready to run off, but then she stopped to look at Dark as she said, "You'd better watch out yourself."

"Huh, what do you mean?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail.

"I mean I heard you talking to Ash about your Pokemon. It made me think that you two really trust the Pokemon you have with you." Burgundy replied.

"That's right, Panpour was actually a Birthday present I got from my mom on my fifth Birthday." Dark said happily.

"You'll find this surprising, Dark's mom happens to be the Martial Arts Queen of Unova." Ash added, taking Burgundy by surprise.

"WHAT!? You mean to tell me that he's the son of Unova's supreme Martial Artist!?" Burgundy yelled in complete shock as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan nodded their heads, then she continued with, "I've heard about her, and I've been a big fan of hers ever since. Someday, I'll get the chance to meet her one day!"

"Sorry to tell you this, but my mom died a long time ago." Dark said sadly shocking Burgundy all over again.

"What!? But she's Mitsumi, Unova's supreme Martial Artist, how can possibly get killed so easily!?" Burgundy asked.

"A monster came on the night of a Full Moon and trampled her to death." Dark told Burgundy who blinked in confusion, then she finally noticed Dark's tail as she screamed and ran away as fast as her legs can carry her, that's when Dark scratched his head with his tail in confusion and asked, "I wonder what got into her?"

"She's fast." Iris said watching Burgundy go.

"That couldn't have gone easy for her." Ash added.

"The truth is, being able to pass the C-Class Pokemon Connoisseur Evaluation is no walk in the park." Cilan told his friends.

"It isn't?" Ash asked as Cilan nodded his head.

"Plus, you've gotta give her a little credit for her spark and spirit." Cilan added as Ash, Pikachu, Dark, and Panpour looked at each other with determination.

"Hey guys, I say we show as much spark and spirit as Burgundy and give it all we've got at the Castelia Gym!" Ash said with determination.

"(You got it buddy!)" Pikachu replied with a fist in the air.

"(Yeah, I'm in!)" Panpour said with determination as well.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's continue off to Castelia City!" Dark said before they continued on their way to Castelia City.

* * *

A pleasant time in a Poke-Mart turned into a little reunion with a big fiery battle between Cilan and Burgundy. Now Ash and Dark plan to use the same spark and spirit to win their next Gym Battle against Burgh. What else will probably stand in their way, friends or foes? Find out as their journey continues next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


	20. The Lost World of Gothitelle

Previously on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins, a happy day at the Poke-Mart turns into a fiery reunion as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan run into Burgundy, a C-Class Pokemon Connaisseuse who wants revenge on Cilan for what happened in Striaton City. Cilan and Burgundy later have a two-on-two Pokemon Battle to determine what kind of evaluation Ash and Dark have with their Pokemon, this ended with Cilan as the victor. Soon, Burgundy left, vowing to have her revenge on Cilan soon, plus she declared that Dark should be careful himself the next time they meet. Now Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan are almost to Castelia City, all they have to do now is cross a bridge, simple and easy... or is it?

The Lost World of Gothitelle

As Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan continue on their way to Castelia City, Cilan decided to pull out his Town Map.

"There's a rather large bridge up ahead." Cilan said still looking at his Town Map.

"Large bridge?" Dark asked as Cilan nodded.

"It is, actually, it's the biggest bridge in the Unova Region." Cilan answered.

"I'll bet the view from the top of it must be incredible." Iris said with sparkles in her eyes.

"And once we cross over it, we're in Castelia City." Cilan added as Ash got all excited.

"Then let's get across that bridge right away!" Ash yelled happily as he ran on ahead to the bridge.

"Hey, wait up!" Dark yelled before he ran after Ash as did Iris and Cilan.

Now, the four trainers got a good view of the bridge.

"Wow, when you said large bridge, you weren't kidding." Dark told Cilan.

"And we know what's on the other side." Cilan told the group.

"Castelia City!" Iris exclaimed.

"(And the Castelia Gym.)" Panpour added as Ash and Dark saw something next to the bridge.

"Hey guys, check it out." Ash said pointing at a building next to the bridge, then Ash said, "I'm gonna run over there and give Professor Juniper a call. Come on Dark, you should do the same." then he ran over to the building.

"Okay, I'm coming." Dark said before he ran after Ash.

"I just can't believe how much the area has changed." a woman said while standing in front of the building.

"Hey Ash, there's someone in front of that building." Dark said now running in front of Ash as they both saw the woman as Ash picked Dark up and came to a stop before they could run into the woman who turned to face them.

"Sorry about that." Ash said sheepishly while scratching the back of his head while he still held Dark with his other arm as Dark laughed sheepishly as well.

"Well, after you." Ash said while opening the door for the woman.

"Why thank you very much." the woman said before she went inside as Iris and Cilan caught up to Ash and Dark.

"You two are still such little kids." Iris said while slowly shaking her head.

"You two really should try to calm down." Cilan added.

"Hey, we're excited!" Ash said as Dark nodded in agreement with his tail wagging happily.

"Come on Ash, let's call Professor Juniper." Dark said as they went in the building.

* * *

Soon, Ash and Dark were talking to Professor Juniper on the videophone.

"Hey, I just caught a Sewaddle and Dark caught a Petilil, isn't that cool Professor?" Ash asked as he and Dark had big smiles on their faces.

"That's great! Okay, I got all the data I need from Pidove and Darmanitan that you two have sent me, so if I send them back to you, could you send me your Sewaddle Ash? And Dark, how about you send me your Kabuto? I've never done research on a prehistoric Kanto Pokemon before." Professor Juniper replied.

"Sure thing Professor." Dark said with a nod as Ash nodded as well before they took out Sewaddle and Kabuto's Pokeballs.

"Thanks a lot boys, can't wait for you next catch." Professor Juniper said holding up Pidove and Darmanitan's Pokeballs, before she placed Pidove's Pokeball down onto the machine as Ash did the same for Sewaddle's Pokeball, then the two Pokeballs got switched out as Ash picked up Pidove's Pokeball.

"Pidove, welcome back!" Ash said before he put the Pokeball away as Dark placed Kabuto's Pokeball on the machine while Professor Juniper did the same for Darmanitan's Pokeball, and like before, the two Pokeballs got switched out.

"Glad to have you back Darmanitan." Dark said holding up Darmanitan's Pokeball.

"And Dark, I think you'll be happy to know that Darmanitan learned a new move when he was in the lab." Professor Juniper said.

"Wow, I can't wait to see what it is! Thanks again Professor Juniper, and say hi to my Pokemon friends back home for me." Dark said with a silly smile on his face.

"I'll be sure to do that, have fun boys." Professor Juniper said before they ended the call.

"Well, let's get going." Ash said before Dark turned to see the woman that he and Ash almost ran into.

"Hey Ash look." Dark said pointing at the woman, then the four of hem decided to walk over to what she was looking at as she was looking at photos on the wall.

"Those are from before the bridge was built." Cilan commented as they saw the photos as well.

"There was a boat back then." Iris added as the woman turned to them.

"They call it a Water Taxi." the woman told them.

"(Traveling on the water, now that's my kind of thing.)" Panpour said while smiling at the photos with a boat on them.

"It regularly made runs across the river." the woman continued.

"Wow, that's amazing. Do you live around here?" Iris asked curiously.

"Oh, no. Well, not exactly." the woman said before she turned to leave, but she turned to wave at them before she left.

"And I say we go too!" Ash said.

"Right, let's go." Iris agreed as they headed out of the building.

* * *

As soon as they got outside, they were surrounded by a thick fog.

"Hey, what's up with this fog all of a sudden?" Ash asked as they looked around.

"It rolled in quick." Iris added, but then a motorcycle rolled up in front of them with a familiar looking officer on it.

"So, the fog's come up once again." Officer Jenny said looking at the fog around them confusing Dark and Panpour.

"Uh, excuse me miss, but didn't we meet you back in Striaton City?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail in confusion.

"You must be talking about my cousin, the Officer Jenny from Striaton City. I'm the Officer Jenny who watches over this area. See, this area's well known for its fog and it has been for a long time." Officer Jenny replied as she got off the motorcycle.

"(Another Officer Jenny? First Nurse Joy, then Don George, now Officer Jenny.)" Panpour sighed.

"(I told you.)" Pikachu told Panpour.

"Alright, Swanna, let's go!" Officer Jenny yelled bringing out a Pokemon that looks like a white swan.

"A Swanna? I remember seeing a group of those when Professor Juniper drove me, Pikachu, my mom, and Professor Oak to her lab." Ash said remembering the last time he saw Swanna as Dark pulled his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Swanna, the White Bird Pokemon. Because of its long, powerful neck, Swanna can deliver forceful attacks with its beak." the Pokedex explained before Dark put it away.

"Now Swanna, Defog, let's go!" Officer Jenny yelled as Swanna's wings glowed before she flapped them fast, creating a powerful gust of wind to try and clear the fog away, but it didn't work.

"That's strange." Officer Jenny said with a little sweat drop, then she saw a dark blue car drive by as she yelled, "No, cars are not suppose to pass through when it's foggy!" then she ran after the car while Ash, Dark, Iris, Cilan, and their Pokemon laughed as she and her Swanna left.

"So, now what?" Cilan asked after the laughter stopped.

"Well, we know that Castelia City's on the other side, right?" Dark asked as they nodded.

"Yeah, we can't just stand here and do nothing." Ash agreed with Dark.

"Guess you're right." Iris kinda agreed before the four of them walked over to the Skyarrow Bridge.

* * *

The four trainers have made it to the bridge and are now walking across it, despite the fog all around them.

"The fog just keeps getting thicker and thicker." Iris said as they kept walking through.

"It's getting a bit hard to see anything." Cilan agreed.

"Axew, stay close to me." Iris told the Tusk Pokemon who nodded his head, then from one of the tall spikes above them, a sudden ray of different colors came down as it almost hit the four trainers.

"Hey, what was that?" Dark asked while looking around.

"It was Psybeam!" Cilan told his friends.

"But where did it come from?" Ash asked before they looked up to see something in mid-air, when they got a closer look, they saw that it was some kind of Pokemon who looked like she was wearing a black dress with four big white bows on the front as she glared at the four trainers in front of her.

"It's a Gothitelle!" Cilan exclaimed.

"Gothitelle?" Dark asked while tilting his head in confusion while Ash pulled his Pokedex out to find out more.

"Gothitelle, the Astral Body Pokemon. Gothitelle's psychic power is so great that it is said to warp space around it and distort reality in the process." the Pokedex explained before Ash put it away to look at the Gothitelle that attacked them.

"But why would Gothitelle attack us?" Ash asked.

"(Away with the four of you!)" Gothitelle said lifting one of her hands up.

"Gothitelle, please let us cross the bridge." Dark said stepping up.

"(No, never.)" Gothitelle said before she fired another Psybeam at Dark and Panpour who jumped up to dodge the attack as they landed back on the spot they jumped from as Gothitelle said, "(Go away.)"

"Gothitelle really doesn't want us to cross." Cilan said as Dark took out one of his Pokeballs.

"Then I guess we've got no other choice. I really don't like to hurt anyone, Pokemon or not, but we still need to get to Castelia City. Help us out, Darmanitan!" Dark said as he brought Darmanitan out who pumped his big fists in the air before he began to beat his chest with them.

"I'll help out, Snivy, I choose you!" Ash yelled bringing Snivy out who just stood next to Darmanitan.

"Snivy, use Leaf Blade!" Ash yelled as Snivy jumped up with her tail glowing green as she tried to attack Gothitelle, but she summoned a green shield to protect herself from the attack.

"That's Protect!" Cilan exclaimed as Gothitelle dropped the shield before her eyes glowed as did Snivy as Gothitelle used her powers to send Snivy flying.

"Snivy, no!" Ash yelled in concern.

"Quick, Darmanitan, use Psychic to save Snivy!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan's eyes glowed as Snivy stopped in mid-air while glowing as Darmanitan used his Psychic to safely bring Snivy back down next to him.

"Thanks Dark." Ash said gratefully.

"Darmanitan's the one you should thank." Dark happily said while pointing his tail at the Blazing Pokemon.

"(No thanks are needed my friends.)" Darmanitan said with a thumbs-up as Dark and Ash turned to Gothitelle once more.

"Gothitelle, just tell us what's wrong. Maybe we can help you out." Dark told the Astral Body Pokemon who kept her gaze at the little trainer with a tail, then she fired another Psybeam at the four trainers.

"Snivy, use Leaf Storm!" Ash yelled.

"Darmanitan, it's time to use the new move you've learned!" Dark yelled as Snivy launched multiple leaves at Psybeam while Darmanitan glowed red and then he fired very intense flames at Psybeam to help Snivy out.

"That's Overheat!" Iris exclaimed in shock.

"What's that?" Dark asked Cilan in confusion.

"It's an attack that's very powerful at first, but the more you use it, the weaker it gets." Cilan explained as the three attacks collided with each other before an explosion surrounded the area around the trainers, then the trainers and their Pokemon felt like they were falling while they were surrounded by a bright light as they screamed.

* * *

Later, they've found themselves laying down on grass as Ash and Dark returned Snivy and Darmanitan.

"Anyone know what just happened?" Ash asked as they stood up.

"The only thing I remember is being surrounded by a really strange light." Iris said as Dark spotted something in the distance.

"Hey guys, look at that." Dark said pointing at what he saw as Ash, Iris, and Cilan saw that it was an unfinished bridge, one that looked familiar.

"There's a bridge being built!" Cilan said.

"(Odd, that kinda looks like the Skyarrow Bridge.)" Panpour pointed out.

"(You're right, what's going on here?)" Pikachu asked, but before anyone else could say anything, they heard another voice call to them.

"Do you need a ride? We'll get you across on the Water Taxi." they looked to see a young girl next to a boat, motioning for them to come over as she continued with, "Come on, we're leaving real soon!"

"Water Taxi?" Ash asked in confusion.

"Should we go?" Iris asked.

"I say yes, it might give us more of an idea of what exactly is going on." Cilan said.

"Okay, I've never been on one of those before." Dark agreed while pointing at the boat before they walked over to the young girl.

"Thank you very much." the young girl said handing them their tickets before she waved behind her and said, "Gothitelle, we have new customers, show them around, please." then they saw a Gothitelle come up to them with a friendly smile, taking the four trainers and their Pokemon by surprise.

"(My pleasure.)" Gothitelle said friendly.

"Hey guys, isn't that the same Gothitelle from before?" Dark whispered to Ash, Iris, and Cilan.

"Strange, that Gothitelle looks different somehow." Cilan replied.

"Now what?" Iris asked.

"I say let's get on board." Ash said before the four of them got on the boat.

"Alright Gothitelle, it's time." the young girl said as Gothitelle used Psychic to unwound the rope tethering the boat, then Gothitelle and the young girl got on as well as the girl turned to the man driving the boat, saluted and said, "Captain, preparations are complete!"

"Good." the captain said happily before he picked up a speaker deice and said, "Hi folks, we're sorry to keep you waiting, but we're all set to cast off." then the Water Taxi took off across the river as Dark looked around as did Panpour.

Then, the young girl and Gothitelle came up to them with a tray full of snacks and juice and asked, "Would any of you care for some juice or some snacks?"

"Sure." Ash said as the trainers each took a brown cookie while the three Pokemon each took a pink cookie as they started to munch down on them.

"Yummy!" Dark said happily with his tail happily wagging behind him, taking some of the other passengers by surprise, including the young girl and Gothitelle.

"(It's really good!)" Pikachu agreed.

"(Really yummy!)" Axew also agreed.

"(So tasty.)" Panpour said with a relaxing sigh.

"Did you make these?" Iris asked.

"I sure did!" the young girl replied while offering snacks to two older women.

"Good for you, they're great." a woman with purple hair commented.

The other woman turned to the Captain and said, "Uh, Captain? I hear that the Water Taxi is going to close."

"That would be a terrible shame." the purple-haired woman added.

The Captain sighed, "Well, there's not much I can do about it." then the four teens decided to whisper to each other again.

"I'm sure of it! That has got to be the Skyarrow Bridge!" Cilan whispered in realization while pointing at the unfinished bridge.

"But Cilan, that bridge isn't finished yet." Dark whispered back.

"Well, we've somehow been transported to a world where the Skyarrow Bridge is still under construction!" Cilan whispered shocking his friends.

"You mean we've traveled through time into the past?" Iris asked silently.

"Perhaps, though there could be other explanations." Cilan replied.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked, but then they heard the young girl talk again.

"Here's your snack." the young girl said handing something for Gothitelle to eat, which she did.

"(This is so good, thank you!)" Gothitelle happily said.

"Great!" the young girl said happily as Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan looked at the girl and the Pokemon.

* * *

Later, the four trainers and their Pokemon got off the Water Taxi.

"Thank you for coming!" the young girl waved happily as did Gothitelle as the four trainers and their Pokemon waved back while walking away.

"Wait a sec, this can't be right!" Ash said after looking around.

Dark ran over to a familiar looking hill and said, "There's something familiar about this place."

"Hey, I think we're back where we started!" Ash yelled in realization surprising the others.

"But it doesn't make sense, she said we were going to the other side!" Iris said.

"(This is really confusing, we've been going in circles!)" Pikachu exclaimed in shock.

"(Circle, we've only went one time around.)" Panpour corrected causing Pikachu to glare at him.

"What's going on?" Ash asked while Cilan looked like he was thinking.

"I think we're stuck in some kind of loop!" Cilan said causing the others to look at him.

"What do you mean by loop?" Dark asked while scratching his head with his tail.

"No matter how many times we ride on that boat, we'll always end up right back where we started!" Cilan said as the others looked at each other in confusion.

Then they sat down and Iris asked, "Now what?"

"Beats me." Ash shrugged.

Then they looked down to see Gothitell helping the young girl from before with her Psychic powers to bring out boxes filled with snacks from the storage.

"I had a thought." Cilan said as Ash, Pikachu, Dark, Panpour, Iris, and Axew turned to him as he continued with, "That girl and that Gothitelle seem really close. Also, that girl looks oddly familiar. Perhaps we should find out about Gothitelle."

"Good idea." Ash said as they stood up and walked over to the young girl and Gothitelle, then Ash greeted them by saying, "Hi again!"

"Oh, it's the same customers from before!" the young girl said surprised to see them again.

"Well, my name's Ash Ketchum, and this is my partner, Pikachu." Ash introduced pointing to his friend on his shoulder.

"(Hello.)" Pikachu waved.

"I'm Dark, this is my buddy, Panpour." Dark introduced.

"(Nice to see you again.)" Panpour happily waved.

"Hello, I'm Iris." Iris happily introduced.

"(Nice to meet you, I'm Axew.)" Axew happily waved.

"And my name is Cilan." Cilan introduced.

"My name is Sally, and of course you know Gothitelle." Sally introduced with Gothitell happily waving to them.

"You help out with the Water Taxi, correct?" Cilan asked as Sally nodded her head.

"That's because my daddy's the Water Taxi Captain." Sally replied.

"Of course. We heard the Water Taxi was closing, so we wanted to have a ride on it at least once more." Cilan said.

"It just so happens that lots of customers say the same thing." Sally said happily.

"(It's true.)" Gothitelle said in agreement.

"I've been meaning to ask, is Gothitelle your Pokemon?" Dark asked suddenly.

Sally shook her head and said, "You see, Gothitelle was living around the area as a wild Pokemon, but one day Gothitelle just started helping us out." then Gothitelle nodded saying that Sally was right before she continued with, "Gothitelle and I are quite a team. It's the best!" then Sally and Gothitelle hugged each other.

"(Yes we are.)" Gothitelle happily agreed.

"Reminds me of my friendship with Pikachu." Ash said as he and Pikachu looked at each other.

"And my friendship with Panpour." Dark said as he and Panpour looked at each other as well before Sally and Gothitelle broke free from the hug.

"We've got a lot to do, so we'll see you later!" Sally said before she and Gothitelle left to get back to work.

* * *

Soon, Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan went back to the hill and sat on it.

"Everything seems normal to me." Ash said after a few seconds of silence.

"Yeah, just a girl and her Pokemon friend." Dark agreed.

"I have to tell you, that Gothitelle seems really happy." Iris said after seeing the smile on Gothitelle's face.

"Yeah./You're right." Ash and Dark agreed.

"It's possible that we're in a world that Gothitelle created." Cilan suddenly said.

"We are?" Dark asked in confusion while Ash thought about it.

"The Pokedex did say that Gothitelle could use its psychic powers to warp space and distort reality." Ash said remembering what the Pokedex told them.

"Right! And with the power to warp space, I believe we've gotten lost in a world that's been created as a result! You may find this difficult to believe, but I'm thinking that Gothitelle was the driving force behind the fog, especially considering that Swanna's Defog wasn't able to eliminate it!" Cilan told his friends.

"I don't know, stranger things have happened to me and Pikachu before we came here to Unova. But, it does make sense." Ash said as he and Pikachu remembered their adventures outside Unova.

"My theory is, after the Skyarrow Bridge was completed, there's a strong possibility that Sally and Gothitelle moved away from the area." Cilan said before he stood up, and then he continued with, "This must be a world of Gothitelle's memories, I'm sure of it!"

"You know, all those happy times Gothitelle had with Sally must be some of the dearest memories Gothitelle has!" Iris pointed out.

"Much like the time we spend with our Pokemon creates special memories for us." Cilan agreed as Ash and Pikachu looked at each other as a silent conversation was going on between the two of them with Dark and Panpour doing the same thing as were Iris and Axew, then Cilan continued with, "So, for the Pokemon as well, the time they spend with their trainers is just as special to them!"

"So, these are Gothitelle's dearest memories?" Ash asked as Dark nodded.

"Yeah, they're special for Gothitelle." Iris said.

"I guess." Ash shrugged.

"Now that makes sense. They must have a meaning for Gothitelle, we simply don't understand." Cilan said as Iris and Dark kinda agreed, but Ash was a different story.

"I think I understand. On my first day as a Pokemon Trainer, Pikachu and I didn't exactly get along that well." Ash said while looking at Pikachu.

"(Is that true?)" Panpour asked Pikachu.

"(Uh, yeah, I sorta had a trust issue with humans before I met Ash.)" Pikachu said sheepishly with a paw behind his head.

"But when a flock of Spearow were coming at us, I would try my best to protect Pikachu. But then he leaped up and unleashed a powerful Electric-Type attack on the Spearow, sending them away. After that, the two of us developed a strong bond with each other, and the two of us have been a team ever since." Ash finished as he and Pikachu smiled at each other.

"You know Ash, this is the first time I've heard you talk about your adventures outside of Unova." Dark pointed out.

"I'd be more than happy to tell you more about them once we find a way out of here, we just need to find Gothitelle." Ash replied as Dark saw something behind him.

"Hey guys, Gothitelle's leaving." Dark said as they saw that Gothitelle was walking away.

"Come on!" Ash said as they got up and ran after Gothitelle.

* * *

They followed Gothitelle to the unfinished bridge.

"Gothitelle, wait up!" Ash yelled as they came to a stop on the bridge.

"We just want to talk to you Gothitelle." Dark told the Astral Body Pokemon.

"You created this world from your memories, correct? Well, we've gotten trapped in here by accident!" Cilan said as Gothitelle turned to them, no longer smiling.

"We want to return to our own world!" Ash said as Gothitelle kept looking at them.

"We're not saying it isn't a nice world, because it is, but we need to get back to ours." Iris said as Axew nodded in agreement.

"She's right, we just don't belong here Gothitelle." Dark said, but then Gothitelle suddenly fired a Psybeam at them as they narrowly dodged the attack.

"It's not working! Maybe you two should battle Gothitelle, we just might learn something that will help us get out of here." Cilan suggested to Ash and Dark who nodded and got their Pokeballs ready.

"Snivy, I choose you!" Ash yelled bringing Snivy out for battle.

"Darmanitan, we need your help!" Dark yelled bringing Darmanitan out to help Snivy, then Gothitelle fired another Psybeam at Snivy and Darmanitan who jumped out of the way to dodge.

"Use Vine Whip!" Ash yelled as Snivy got her vines ready.

"Fire Punch, let's go!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan got his flaming fists ready to attack Gothitelle with, but Gothitelle used Protect to save herself from the two attacks.

"Leaf Blade, let's go!" Ash yelled as Snivy's tail glowed green.

"Fire Punch, once more!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan and Snivy got ready to hit Gothitelle who suddenly disappeared, surprising Snivy and Darmanitan as they were now surrounded by a bunch of Gothitelle, but then they got with a Psybeam attack from behind.

"Snivy, no!/Darmanitan, no!" Ash and Dark yelled as the two Pokemon landed in front of the four trainers.

"Gothitelle will do anything to protect her memories." Cilan said as the original Gothitelle appeared and the fakes vanished.

"Can you two keep going?" Ash asked Snivy and Darmanitan.

"(Yeah.)" Snivy said with a nod.

"(No problem.)" Darmanitan said with a thumbs-up.

"Then, use Leaf Storm now!" Ash yelled as Snivy fired multiple leaves at Gothitelle.

"Heat things up with Overheat!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan glowed red and fired really intense flames at Gothitelle who simply blocked the two attacks, and got ready to fire another Psybeam.

"Alright, Leaf Blade!" Ash yelled as Snivy got her Leaf Blade ready.

"Fire Punch, go!" Dark yelled as Darmanitan got his Fire Punch ready as they hit Gothitelle's Psybeam with the attacks cancelling it out.

Gothitelle looked like she had enough as she used Psychic to lift up the construction items that were behind her before she launched a big crate at them, but she didn't count on Dark jumping up and destroying the crate with just a kick.

Dark landed next to Ash and said, "That's not very nice Gothitelle, we just want to get back to our world so me and Ash can get our third Gym Badge."

"Gothitelle?" a woman's voice asked as they turned to see the woman that Ash, Dark, Iris, and Cilan have met before running up to them before she stopped in front of Gothitelle who was surprised to see her.

"Yes, you must remember me. I'm Sally!" the woman said taking everyone by surprise as Gothitelle cancelled her Psychic attack and dropped all the items she picked up with it.

"She's Sally!?" Ash and Dark asked in shock.

"Sally from the Water Taxi?" Cilan asked.

"So she's the little girl?" Iris asked.

"(Is it really you?)" Gothitelle asked as Sally stepped up a little more.

"It's really me Gothitelle, and I've somehow gotten lost here. It started when I was walking through the fog on the Skyarrow Bridge." Sally began now standing in front of Gothitelle.

"She must've been walking through while we were battling Gothitelle for the first time." Dark whispered but Iris just shushed him.

"It seems to me this world is from your memory, isn't it?" Sally asked before she continued with, "We moved away after the Skyarrow Bridge was finished and the Water Taxi closed, then we moved to a brand new city where my uncle owned a factory. Later, I decided to go to medical school and study to become a doctor, so I moved into a dormitory there. It wasn't until several years later that my dad told me you had mysteriously disappeared. Now I know, this is where you went! See, Gothitelle? I studied very hard and now I'm a doctor! I go from hospital to hospital working as a doctor-in-training."

Ash and Dark returned Snivy and Darmanitan by now as Sally continued with, "And after being assigned to a hospital near here, I came to have a look. I miss this place like you do. We had so much fun together back then. We lived to ride that Water Taxi, didn't we? Selling tickets to wonderful people, and snacks and juice too! It may not seem like much of a life to some, but for us, those memories were, and always will be, so very special. I'm so glad you feel the same way, the life we've shared before the bridge was built... I thank you." by now Sally had tears in her eyes as she finished with, "Thank you very much. But the truth is, no matter how we wish, we can't turn back the hands of time. I can't, and neither can you."

"(Sally? There's no need to cry.)" Gothitelle assured placing a hand under Sally's eye, causing her to look at her friend as she dried her tears as Gothitelle said, "(It's okay Sally.)"

"The relationship between Sally and Gothitelle is like a well-refined dish." Cilan said while wiping away a stray tear that fell from his eye, but then the trainers and Sally were surprised when the fog around them started to move.

* * *

The next thing they knew, they were now in front of the Skyarrow Bridge which was finished.

"Hey guys, the bridge is finished!" Dark exclaimed while looking at the bridge.

"That means we're back in our own world!" Ash added happily.

"But Gothitelle..." Sally said noticing her friend on top of the bridge.

"(Don't worry Sally.)" Gothitelle assured.

"Gothitelle, tell me, if I came visit, will I see you again?" Sally asked.

"(Yes you may.)" Gothitelle said before she got cloaked in fog, then the fog disappeared along with Gothitelle.

"Well what do you know, Gothitelle put her memories to rest by seeing you all grown up." Cilan said surprising Sally.

"You think so?" Sally asked.

"I sure do. Once Gothitelle saw how you cherish your time together, it was time to let go." Cilan replied.

"Cilan's right." Ash agreed.

"(That's for sure.)" Pikachu agreed with a nod.

"Gothitelle looked really happy, didn't she?" Iris asked.

Dark nodded and said, "Yeah, she was really happy to see you again Sally."

"Perhaps. Actually, I'm sure too." Sally said looking at the spot where she last saw Gothitelle, then Officer Jenny came from behind.

"Looks like the fog has cleared. Isn't that strange?" Officer Jenny asked as they turned to her.

"You could say that if you wanted to." Ash said as Dark nodded in agreement.

"On the other hand, it's not strange at all." Iris added.

"Anyway, I'll open the bridge again." Officer Jenny said before she drove off on her motorcycle.

"Yeah, come on, let's cross it!" Dark said happily as they all agreed right away.

* * *

Soon, the four trainers and Sally were walking in the middle of the Skyarrow Bridge while looking down at the water.

"To think the Water Taxi used to pass under here." Iris said remembering the ride she and her friends took on the Water Taxi.

"It's amazing, thank you all for everything." Sally said to the four Pokemon Trainers.

"No problem." Ash said as Pikachu nodded in agreement.

"Glad to help." Dark agreed as did Panpour.

"Being able to see what it was like before the bridge was built was really wonderful. We'll never forget it!" Iris happily told Sally.

"It's like a dream, the memories, hidden within the wisps of a passing fog." Sally said while looking at the sky, then she turned to leave as she waved to the four trainers and said, "Goodbye, and thank you again! Best wishes to all of you!"

"Goodbye Sally!" Ash and Dark said while waving.

"You take good care!" Iris waved along.

"And lots of luck at your new job!" Cilan waved as well until Sally was out of their sight.

"So Pokemon love their memories." Dark said while looking at Panpour, Pikachu, and Axew.

"We have lots of new memories to make, don't you think Axew?" Iris asked happily.

"(We sure do!)" Axew happily answered.

"Us too, right buddy?" Ash asked Pikachu.

"(That's right!)" Pikachu happily answered.

"Then I guess we'll have to make lots of new memories ourselves." Dark happily told Panpour.

"(You've got that right pal!)" Panpour happily replied.

"Castelia City, here we come!" Ash declared.

"Yeah, come on guys, let's go!" Dark happily yelled before he took off towards Castelia City.

"Whoa, slow down Dark, wait for me!" Ash yelled running after Dark.

"Hey, wait for me!" Iris yelled running after them.

"Wait, don't leave me behind guys!" Cilan yelled while running after his friends.

"I can see the city!" Ash yelled excitedly as he was now running next to Dark.

"WE'RE ALMOST THERE!" Ash and Dark shouted excitedly together as they kept running towards Castelia City.

* * *

It has been quite an unexpected turn of events for the group, but after helping Sally reunite with her friend, Gothitelle, they're ready to take on Castelia City and challenge Burgh for their third Gym Badge. But will something else come between Ash and Dark and their chance to battle the Castelia Gym Leader? Find out as their journey through Castelia City begins next time on Pokemon Black & White: Dark's Journey Begins!


End file.
